TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s foreign ministry thanked the EU for adopting resolutions supporting Taiwan and reaffirming a commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The European Parliament voted Wednesday to approve its annual security and defense policies, which both support cooperation with Taiwan and oppose China’s threats against Taiwan. The foreign ministry thanked European lawmakers for continuing to develop and strengthen EU-Taiwan ties, per a press release.
In this year’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, the EU emphasized that China’s territorial claims over Taiwan are based on distortions of the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and have no basis in international law. The policy document reiterated that neither Taiwan nor China is subordinate to the other and that only Taiwan’s elected government may represent the people of Taiwan.
The EU also condemned China’s provocative behavior over the past year, including military exercises simulating a blockade of Taiwan. It also expresses concern about Beijing’s attempts to influence Taiwanese society through cognitive warfare and economic coercion.
In the Common Security and Defence Policy, the EU recognizes that conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have serious negative consequences on critical global supply chains and European security. It condemns any effort by China to unilaterally alter the status quo in the region and reaffirms the right of nations to conduct freedom of navigation operations in the region.
In recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and the EU has continued to expand. The foreign ministry expressed its gratitude and commitment to forging strong alliances with democratic societies.
In a separate press release, the ministry also thanked the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun for their joint statement following the second EU-ROK Strategic Dialogue on Thursday. Both leaders expressed strong opposition to unilateral actions in the Taiwan Strait that would threaten regional stability.
