TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — German lawmakers backed Taiwan’s defense of democracy during a recent Berlin visit by Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung (沈有忠).

Shen held talks with several Bundestag members on Monday and Tuesday, briefing them on security developments in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific, per CNA.

Markus Reichel, vice chair of the Bundestag’s Taiwan friendship group, said Russia’s war in Ukraine has heightened Germany’s awareness of authoritarian threats and underscored Taiwan’s strategic importance.

Shen also met with Axel Knoerig and Christoph Schmidt, outlining China’s gray-zone coercion and efforts to block Taiwan’s international participation, per RTI. He warned that Beijing continues to misinterpret UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and increase infiltration targeting Taiwanese society.

Shen said Taiwan is boosting self-defense and resilience against efforts to divide the public. He highlighted President Lai Ching-te’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) supplementary defense budget to boost defenses.

He stressed that democratic Taiwan is crucial to peace in the Indo-Pacific and a key part of the global democratic system.

German lawmakers praised Taiwan’s resilience under Chinese pressure. They noted that a recent German naval passage through the Taiwan Strait signals Berlin’s support for democratic allies.