TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) welcomed a European Green Party delegation led by German politician Reinhard Butikofer on Tuesday (March 26).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release issued Wednesday (March 27) that the delegation included pro-Taiwan politicians, such as Heidi Hautala from Finland and Agnieszka Brugger from Germany, per CNA. Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) was also present at the welcome party and dinner banquet.

Wu thanked the European and German parliaments for their support for Taiwan in recent years, including their concern about the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait, support for Taiwan’s international participation, and calls for the EU and Germany to deepen exchanges.

Hsiao said that visiting Taiwan in person provides a better understanding of Taiwan. “It demonstrates that Taiwan and the EU are partners with similar ideals of democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and human rights,” she said. 

“It is gratifying to see that support for Taiwan has become a consensus among the European Parliament. We hope to continue to deepen Taiwan-EU cooperation and exchanges on this solid foundation in the future,” Hsiao added.

Butikofer said that supporting Taiwan and maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait not only aligns with EU values but is also closely linked to global and European prosperity and interests. “Taiwan is at the forefront of authoritarian expansion, and its spirit of defending democratic values and regional peace is admirable. I look forward to working with Taiwan to strengthen democratic development,” he said.

Hautala said that supporting Taiwan is already a core issue for the European Parliament. “This can be seen from recent resolutions passed, such as the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) report and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) report,” she said.

MOFA said that both sides exchanged views on geopolitics in the region and countering disinformation. They also agreed to continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the European and German parliaments.