TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) lauded close Taiwan-Europe relations during talks with the visiting European Parliament delegation on Tuesday.
The president said that in recent years, bilateral ties have made significant progress in cooperation across many fields, according to the Presidential Office. He pointed to the Formosa Club’s first Taipei meeting last year as an example. Participants held in-depth discussions on issues such as submarine cable security and resilience, regional security, and the outlook for Taiwan–Europe cooperation.
Lai emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are critical to Indo-Pacific security and to Europe’s security and global economic prosperity. Taiwan has the capability and determination to become Europe’s most reliable partner, he said.
The president hoped the delegation would take lessons back to Europe after observing Taiwan’s freedom, diversity, and democracy. The values shared by Taiwan and Europe will become the strongest language for deepening friendship, he said.
Michael Gahler, chair of the European Taiwan Friendship Group, said that democratic countries must work together more closely as global conditions shift rapidly. The delegation supports peace and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and is concerned about China’s efforts to change it, Gahler said. The European Parliament and other governments continue to reaffirm the importance of maintaining the status quo through official statements, he said.
The lawmaker emphasized that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway. He condemned China’s provocative military exercise around Taiwan last week, saying such actions are unacceptable and seriously endanger cross-strait peace and stability.
Taiwan and Europe share concerns on many issues and need to continue sharing experiences, Gahler said. The delegation has already begun discussions on related topics, including how to respond to the challenge of submarine cables being illegally cut. There is also room for deeper bilateral cooperation in trade, science, and public health, he added.
