March 30, 2023
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has taken note that during her speech to the European Policy Centre in Brussels, Belgium, on March 30, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and stated that any weakening of regional stability in Asia, the fastest-growing region in the world, would affect global security, the free flow of trade, and the European Union’s interests. President von der Leyen also pointed out that China has been ramping up its military posturing as well as disinformation and economic and trade coercion policies, willfully compelling other countries to comply as when it took retaliatory measures against Lithuania and other European companies in response to Taiwan opening a representative office in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.
MOFA thanks the European Union for echoing on multiple occasions the position affirmed at the Group of Seven, United States-Japan, and United Kingdom-France leaders’ summits and other important international meetings, drawing attention to the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. MOFA also appreciates that the top EU leader cited Taiwan’s opening of an office in Lithuania as an example when criticizing China for leveraging its economic strength to impose economic coercion on other countries.
As a like-minded partner of the European Union, Taiwan supports ensuring the security of supply chains and the global order of freedom and democracy. Based on the existing solid bilateral relationship, Taiwan will continue to strengthen mutually beneficial, reciprocal, substantive, and cordial partnerships with the European Union and its member nations to further unite the global democratic community and safeguard shared core values.