Foreign Minister Wu hosts banquet for EP trade delegation

2022/12/21

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu hosted a banquet in Taipei City Dec. 19 for the European Parliament trade delegation to thank the law-making body for its support of Taiwan.
 
Led by Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, vice chair of the EP Committee on International Trade (INTA), the 13-member group is in Taiwan Dec. 18-21 to promote further exchanges between the two sides.
 
Highlights of the delegation’s itinerary include an audience with President Tsai Ing-wen, meetings with Premier Su Tseng-chang and Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun, as well as visits to Hsinchu County-based Industrial Technology Research Institute and local semiconductor firms.
 
According to Wu, the EP has issued or passed 25 reports and resolutions over the past two years voicing strong concern over China’s military threats against Taiwan, calling for negotiation of a bilateral investment agreement and supporting Taiwan’s global participation, which are all sincerely appreciated by the government and people.
 
The minister said Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine is posing a serious threat to the universal values of freedom, democracy, the respect for human rights and the rule of law.
 
China’s recent ban of Taiwan’s beverage, fishery and food exports, as well as its other similar moves in the past against Australia, Canada, Lithuania and other EP member states, underscores both the urgency and necessity for Taiwan and its like-minded partners like the EU to work in unity to counter authoritarian regimes’ economic coercion, Wu added.
 
Positioned on the front line of authoritarian expansion, Taiwan is willing and able to share its experience and will continue to cooperate with members of the free world to ensure regional peace and stability while upholding rules-based international order, he added.
 
In response, Asimakopoulou said the EP recently passed a resolution supporting Taiwan’s people in the right to determine their future, and that the EU can relate to the threat that they face. The vice-chair also stressed the importance of this visit and expects it to pave the way for facilitation of the BIA negotiation.


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)