EU-Taiwan relations: MEPs push for
stronger partnership European
Parliament 20211019
Press Releases
- Taiwan a
key EU partner and democratic ally
- Bilateral
Investment Agreement a central feature of future cooperation
- EU must do
more to address tensions with China and protect Taiwanese democracy
Parliament calls for closer relations with Taiwan guided by the EU’s One China Policy, while issuing warnings over the continued tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
MEPs hail
Taiwan as a key EU partner and democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific, one that
contributes to maintaining a rules-based order in the midst of an intensifying
rivalry between the major geopolitical actors in the region.
Lay the groundwork for a new
Bilateral Investment Agreement
To step
up cooperation, the text adopted by MEPs stresses the urgent need to launch an
“impact assessment, public consultation and scoping exercise” for an EU-Taiwan
Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA). Members highlight the importance of trade
and economic relations between the EU and Taiwan, including on matters relating
to multilateralism and the World Trade Organization, technology such as 5G,
public health, and essential cooperation on critical supplies like
semiconductors.
Deep concerns over Chinese military
pressure against Taiwan
The
report expresses grave concern over China’s continued military belligerence,
pressure, assault exercises, airspace violations and disinformation campaigns
against Taiwan. MEPs urge the EU to do more to address these tensions, to
protect Taiwan’s democracy, and the island’s status as an important EU partner.
Parliament
insists that any change to mainland China-Taiwan cross-strait relations must be
neither unilateral nor against the will of Taiwanese citizens. It also issues a
stark reminder of the direct connection between European prosperity and Asian
security and of the consequences for Europe if a conflict were to expand beyond
economic issues.
Finally,
Members propose changing the name of the European
Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan to ‘European
Union Office in Taiwan’ in order to reflect the broad scope of
EU-Taiwanese ties.
The text
was approved today by 580 votes in favour, 26 against with 66 abstentions. It
will be available in full here. (21.10.2021)
Quote
“The
European Parliament’s first report on EU-Taiwan relations demonstrates that the
EU is ready to upgrade its relationship with our key partner Taiwan. The
Commission must now intensify EU-Taiwan relations and pursue a comprehensive
enhanced partnership with Taiwan. Work on an impact assessment, a public
consultation and a scoping exercise on a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA)
with the Taiwanese authorities in preparation for negotiations to deepen our
economic ties must begin before the end of this year”, said rapporteur Charlie Weimers (ECR, Sweden) after the vote.
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