President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of July 19 with a delegation of members from the European Parliament, led by MP Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, extended a cordial welcome to the group on their visit to Taiwan.
The president remarked that MP Díaz previously served in the Spanish Senate and Spanish Congress of Deputies and also as Spain's Deputy-General of the Police. In November of last year, it was he who put forward the motion for the European Union (EU) to provide visa-free courtesies to ROC nationals traveling to Schengen Agreement member nations. He has long been a good friend to Taiwan, the president commented.
President Ma mentioned that the ROC and the EU share the core values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law. Since the president took office in May 2008, the EU on 13 occasions has passed resolutions supporting Taiwan's participation in the international community. Furthermore, the European Parliament on May 11 of this year called for the signing of an economic cooperation agreement between the EU and the ROC, and also supported meaningful participation for Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the World Health Organization. The president reiterated his deepest appreciation to the EU and the European Parliament for speaking on behalf of Taiwan.
In discussing relations between Taiwan and Europe, the president noted that two years ago the UK became the first nation in Europe to grant visa-free courtesies to visitors from the ROC. In the two years since that decision, the number of Taiwanese travelers to the UK has grown considerably, with the number of visitors traveling there last year up 150% from the previous year, while bilateral trade also increased by 25%. Meanwhile, since visa-free access for Taiwan visitors to Schengen Agreement member nations took effect, the number of Taiwanese traveling to those states increased 33% in the March to May period in comparison with the corresponding period last year, he said, adding that this constitutes the fastest growth in history. At the same time, investments in Taiwan by EU entities stands at over US$30 billion, which is the highest amount among investors from any overseas jurisdiction. Last year, he said, trade between Taiwan and the EU amounted to US$48.6 billion, up by 31% from the previous year, while trade volume grew another 20% in the first five months of this year to US$22.7 billion over the same period in 2010. All of these figures point to continued growth in the economic and trade relationship between the two sides, the president commented.
President Ma commented that in the wake of last year's signing by Taiwan and mainland China of the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, tariffs on many products were cut starting on January 1 of this year. As a result, considerable growth in exports to mainland China has been seen in the past half year, especially on items for which tariffs have been reduced. This agreement has significantly changed Taiwan's economic position in the Asia-Pacific. European companies are strongly welcomed to continue to invest in Taiwan, and to take advantage of Taiwan's tax-free status on many industrial products exported to mainland China, so that the two sides can work together on developing markets in mainland China.
The president added that on June 30 the Group of the European People's Party (EPP), which today's visitors belong to, held a public hearing at which various individuals were invited to express their opinions on relations between Taiwan and the EU. All of those attending supported the drafting of an economic cooperation accord between the two sides. The president thanked the EPP for its display of goodwill, and called for continued cooperation to pave the way for such an agreement to be realized.
Besides MP Díaz, the delegation included parliamentarians Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Esther Herranz García, Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo, and Veronica Lope Fontagné. The group was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Deputy Foreign Minister Lyushun Shen (沈呂巡) to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Chih-kung Liu (劉志攻).