President Tsai meets European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegation
On the morning of December 20, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation from the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA). In remarks, President Tsai said that Taiwan is willing and able to strengthen cooperation with our democratic partners around the world, and expressed hope that Taiwan and the European Union can further deepen our partnership and jointly create a resilient democratic alliance. The president also said she hopes our two sides can further strengthen our economic exchanges and supply chain security while accelerating progress toward a Taiwan-EU bilateral investment agreement (BIA), working toward closer and deeper Taiwan-EU ties to advance the well-being of our peoples.
A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:
Welcome to the Presidential Office. This is the first official INTA delegation to Taiwan. Your visit here has far-reaching significance for the development of our bilateral ties and economic exchanges.
In recent years, the European Parliament has been following Taiwan issues more and more closely. With the help of delegation head [Member of the European Parliament and INTA Vice-Chair] Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, the members of the delegation, and other friends in the European Parliament, 10 resolutions supporting Taiwan have been passed so far this year by the European Parliament and its various committees. These include resolutions backing Taiwan's international participation, expressing concern over peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and urging the European Union to engage with Taiwan in structured dialogue on cooperation in green technology and the digital economy.
On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the members of the European Parliament here today. Taiwan and the European Union are like-minded partners that share the values of freedom and democracy, and we are working together to safeguard our way of life.
In recent years, Taiwan and the European Union have made significant progress in our exchanges across various fields. In particular, the European Green Deal and the European Union's digital transformation align closely with the Taiwan government's efforts to transition to net-zero emissions and our promotion of Six Core Strategic Industries.
At this time, in the face of the global expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan is willing and able to strengthen cooperation with our democratic partners around the world. That is why, at the beginning of this year, I announced the Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Initiative in the hope that Taiwan and the European Union can further deepen our partnership and jointly create a resilient democratic alliance.
Taiwan and the European Union are important and reliable trading partners. Last year, bilateral trade grew by 32 percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, we hope our two sides can further strengthen our economic exchanges and supply chain security while accelerating progress toward a Taiwan-EU BIA, which would give businesses on both sides further confidence to expand investment. I believe that cooperation across technology, green energy, medicine and public health, and other fields will advance the well-being of our peoples.
In closing, I want to once again welcome you all and to thank you for supporting Taiwan. Let us continue working together toward closer and deeper Taiwan-EU ties. I wish you an enjoyable and fruitful visit.
Member of the European Parliament Asimakopoulou then delivered remarks, a transcript of which follows:
Madam President, the fact that I appear today with seven distinguished colleagues from the International Trade Committee, [from] across the political spectrum in the European Parliament, is a testament to the importance that the European Union places on the relationship between the European Union and Taiwan.
This is a relationship of like-minded partners, which is based on the solid foundation of common values, respect for democracy, the rule of law, freedom, and respect for human rights and the context of a rules-based order.
In this spirit, let me express our gratitude for the fact that you are on the right side of history in supporting our response to the unconscionable war of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in Ukraine. Let me also congratulate you on your measured and responsible reaction to unprovoked and increasing aggression and provocation from China.
The EU continues to maintain its "one China" policy position, but believes that the status quo in the strait cannot be changed unilaterally. It opposes the use or threat of force or economic coercion against Taiwan from China. Let me repeat what was voted upon by a vast majority of my colleagues in the most recent resolution in the European Parliament – on the democratic island of Taiwan, it is the people that will decide how to live. We express our full support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations.
The EU recognizes that our partnership in trade and investment with Taiwan is a strategic relationship with geopolitical implications. [We recognize] as well the mutual benefit that can be derived from the deepening of this relationship, [and] also from our collaboration on global supply chains in light of the leading role that Taiwan has with respect to semiconductors. My colleagues and I in the European Parliament have called upon the commission to launch without delay an impact assessment, a public consultation, and a scoping exercise for the BIA between the EU and Taiwan.
We thank you very much for the very high-level and excellent hospitality that has been afforded to us during our very fruitful meetings in the past two days. We were pleased to learn that there is measured improvement in removing trade irritants – especially with respect to offshore wind farms, local content [requirement regulations], and phytosanitary measures – in accordance with WTO rules.
The European Union accounts for 25 percent of foreign direct investment in Taiwan in total, investing more than the US and Japan together. We hope to see Taiwanese investments in Europe increase in the future.
Madam President, on behalf of my colleagues and myself, thank you again for your hospitality. I hope that our visit will contribute to a mutually beneficial alliance with respect for democracy and the rule of law.
Also present at the meeting were Members of the European Parliament Jörgen Warborn, Kathleen Van Brempt, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Karin Karlsbro, Michiel Hoogeveen, and Reinhard Bütikofer.