TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — France opposes any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait through force, French Senator Alain Richard said on Monday (April 24).
France's position on supporting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region has been clear and consistent, Richard said during a luncheon hosted by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). The senator noted that French naval vessels passing through the Taiwan Strait clearly conveyed Paris’ championing of freedom of navigation.
Richard, the chair of the Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, is currently leading a delegation to discuss regional security and bilateral cooperation with Taiwanese government officials. He pointed out that more lawmakers from both chambers of the French parliament are visiting Taiwan, which reflects the growing support for Taiwan among the French.
Wu thanked Richard for leading a bipartisan delegation to visit Taiwan at a time when China has been continuously intimidating the nation and undermining regional stability. He also noted that Eric Bothorel, chairman of the French National Assembly's Taiwan Friendship Group, led a delegation to Taiwan last week, demonstrating the deep friendship between Taiwan and France based on shared values.
Wu and Richard exchanged views on cooperation in various areas such as regional security, public health, tourism, and academic research, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The French senator also visited the Legislative Yuan the same day, meeting with Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃). In a speech, he said democratic Taiwan is a model for the world and that he hopes exchanges between Taiwan and France can deepen further.
When asked about China's frequent military exercises around the Taiwan Strait, Richard said such actions are extremely dangerous, aggressive, and irresponsible, and ultimately have a negative impact on the situation.
Richard was later conferred the Legislative Yuan First-Class Medal of Honor by You for his efforts to deepen Taiwan-France ties.
Over their five-day visit, Richard and his delegation will visit Control Yuan President Chen Chu (陳菊), Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花), Minister of Digital Development Audrey Tang (唐鳳), and representatives from local governments and political parties. They will also visit important economic and cultural sites in Yilan and Tainan to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan's dynamic and vibrant democratic society.
The French government has been on damage control duty since French President Emmanuel Macron expressed reluctance to be drawn into a Taiwan Strait conflict earlier this month. Last week, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna emphasized Paris’ position on Taiwan remains unchanged and that it opposes unilateral changes to the status quo.
