September 2, 2021
No. 159
On September 1, 2021, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs resoundingly adopted a report and related amendments on European Union-Taiwan political relations and cooperation by 60 votes in favor, four against, and six abstentions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs （MOFA） highly welcomes the report and expresses its gratitude to the European Parliament （EP） for taking the initiative for the first time to raise positive recommendations from a comprehensive perspective on further deepening friendly ties between Taiwan and the EU. MOFA is optimistic that, with the joint efforts of both parties and the strong support of the EP, new milestones will be reached in the friendly cooperative relations between Taiwan and the EU.
The report points out that the EP is concerned about China’s military threats against Taiwan, urges China to desist from any destabilizing activities in the Taiwan Strait, and insists that any change to cross-strait relations must not go against the will of Taiwan’s people. The report also urges the EU to take a proactive role in working with international partners to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and sustain democracy in Taiwan, and to include Taiwan as an important partner in the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy. In addition, the report encourages the EU and Taiwan to increase official exchanges, including at the highest levels. At the same time, the report recommends that the European Commission prepare an impact assessment, scoping exercise, and public consultation for a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan before the end of 2021 in preparation for negotiations with Taiwan on such an accord.
Other amendments that were passed in the vote include a recommendation that Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, change the name of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei to the EU Office in Taiwan to reflect the closely cooperative and substantive ties between Taiwan and the EU. In addition, the EP included and approved a last-minute amendment to emphasize its support and welcome plans for the establishment of a Taiwanese representative office in Lithuania, condemn the reaction by the Chinese government of imposing economic sanctions on Lithuania, and urge High Representative Borrell and the Council of the EU to take appropriate measures to support Lithuania.
The report, for which MEP Charlie Weimers from Sweden served as rapporteur, marks the first official EP document on EU-Taiwan political relations. A draft report was released in April this year and adopted by the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs on September 1 after several months of debate. It will be submitted to the EP for a vote in a plenary session in October. MOFA will closely follow the results of the vote.
Taiwan and the EU are like-minded partners, sharing the core values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. Since Taiwan was granted Schengen visa waiver treatment in 2011, bilateral relations have advanced and the level of interactions and exchanges has risen steadily. In particular, the mention of the Taiwan-Lithuania agreement on the mutual establishment of representative offices in the report, issued around the 10th anniversary of Taiwan’s inclusion in the Schengen visa waiver program, serves as testament to the continuous deepening of bilateral relations between Taiwan and the EU and its member states. MOFA appreciates the EP for again taking concrete action to staunchly support Taiwan and Lithuania as members of the democratic community standing up against authoritarian intimidation. Taiwan will not retreat in the face of threats.
It will firmly uphold democratic ideals; enhance substantive cooperation with the EU, the United States, Japan, and other like-minded partners and countries; and do its utmost to build greater solidarity within the global democratic community. （E）