July 19, 2024
No. 247
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) congratulates European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on her successful reelection by the European Parliament on July 18. Under the Political Guidelines for the Next European Commission 2024-2029 that President Von der Leyen proposed for her second term in office, she stated that the European Union would work collectively with Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and Australia to deter China from using military means to unilaterally change the status quo, particularly with regard to Taiwan. MOFA promptly congratulated President Von der Leyen on the X platform and expressed appreciation for her high level of support and concern for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Under President Von der Leyen’s leadership, the European Commission has steadily enhanced relations with Taiwan. The commission’s Joint Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in 2021 referred to Taiwan as an important EU partner in the Indo-Pacific for the first time. The report stated that the commission would work with Taiwan and other partners to jointly create diverse and resilient value chains for the semiconductor industry and deepen trade and investment relations. It also pointed out that security across the Taiwan Strait had a direct impact on European security and prosperity. In recent years, President Von der Leyen has reaffirmed her high regard and support for cross-strait peace and stability on numerous bilateral and multilateral occasions.
Taiwan is a like-minded partner that shares the core values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law with the European Union. It will continue to work together with the European Union to strengthen bilateral economic partnerships, build resilient supply chains in the semiconductor and other related strategic industries, and enhance cooperation and exchanges in a wide range of domains, including digital technology, green energy, and technological culture. In the future, Taiwan will also further collaborate with the European Union to safeguard the rules-based international order and jointly open a new chapter in their friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation. (E)