18 October 2024

During her visit to the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday, former President Tsai Ing-wen stated that compromising sovereignty and succumbing to authoritarian aggression will not lead to peace.

“Peace cannot be achieved by yielding to authoritarian aggression or by compromising our sovereignty and democratic way of life,” Tsai told a reception attended by about 50 members of the European Parliament and hosted by Slovakian MEP Miriam Lexmann.

“To uphold peace, one needs to be strong and determined,” Tsai said.

She called on the global democratic community to unite in opposing and deterring Beijing’s “maritime and airspace incursions,” which she claimed are intended to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and threaten regional stability.

Simultaneously, she expressed Taiwan’s eagerness to deepen its global connections and its readiness to share best practices in areas like economic and technological development, public health, and combating disinformation.

Additionally, she emphasized that Taiwan is “a crucial and trusted partner” in efforts to enhance global supply chains and economic security.

“I hope the European Parliament and the national parliaments of the EU member states will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.”

On Thursday, Tsai arrived in Brussels, marking the final stop of her week-long European tour and becoming the first former Taiwanese president to visit the European Parliament in the Belgian capital.

This European trip, which included visits to the Czech Republic and France, is also Tsai’s first overseas journey since completing two four-year terms as president in May. Although she currently holds no official role, she remains a significant influence in Taiwanese politics and within the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

At Thursday’s reception, Lexmann emphasized the need for cooperation among partners in the increasingly complex global geopolitical landscape to protect democratic institutions and bolster economic development.

“It is the sovereign right of every European country to develop relations with Taiwan,” she stated, labelling the People’s Republic of China as “the biggest threat to global peace and security.”

Lexmann later said that the European Union must not allow Beijing to “abuse the ‘one China’ policy” to hinder the bloc’s cooperation with Taiwan. A member of the Slovakian Christian Democratic Movement, she is affiliated with the European People’s Party, the largest party in the European Parliament. Lexmann was among the MEPs sanctioned by the Chinese government in 2021 in response to the EU’s measures against four Chinese officials for human rights violations against the Uyghur minority.

Meanwhile, German MEP Engin Eroglu, currently leading the European Parliament’s China Delegation, expressed on social media after the reception that Taiwan is “a true partner to the EU” and asserted that the EU “must do everything in its power” to avert military conflict in the region.

“The EU will continue to support Taiwan and further strengthen our friendship-based partnership,” he said, adding that by working together, the two sides can “face the challenges ahead and promote shared values of democracy and freedom.”