TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan and Europe bilateral relations should not be confined solely to economic issues, European parliamentarian Reinhard Butikofer said on Monday (March 25).
In a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Butikofer emphasized the need for both sides to cooperate in building more resilient supply chains, according to the Presidential Office. There were still many other aspects to consider, such as comparing Taiwan's past experiences in countering authoritarian regimes and how Europe has dealt with historical legacy issues, he said.
Butikofer, the leader of Germany's Alliance 90/The Greens party, pointed out that the Taipei Representative Office in Germany and the German Institute Taipei signed an agreement in December to establish a bilateral dialogue platform. This is a small step forward for both sides, but it will attract more attention from the public, he said.
He said that under Tsai's leadership, Taiwan has gained many new friends in Europe over the past eight years. Despite various party factions in the European Parliament disagreeing on many issues, they all support Taiwan, he said.
An increasing number of Germans are realizing the crucial role Taiwan plays in the world, Butikofer said, a far cry from three or five years ago.
Both his party and the Democratic Progressive Party use green as their official color, Butikofer said. There is a German saying that "Green is the color of hope," he said, so both parties can bring more hope to Taiwan and Europe by working together.
Butikofer is currently leading a delegation around Taiwan to meet with government officials, legislators, and organization representatives to discuss Taiwan’s political and economic development, Taiwan-EU economic and trade relations, human rights, and environmental protection.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised Butikofer as “a steadfast friend of Taiwan” for his support for deepening the Taiwan-Europe partnership. He has brought Taiwan-related issues to the forefront within European political circles, the ministry said.
