TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer met with Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday and called for China to open a “mutual and respectful dialogue” with the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory.
Beer emphasized Taiwan’s importance “on a global scale” and called for the island to be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly and for the European Union to upgrade its representation in Taipei.
She reaffirmed support for Taiwan’s right to determine its own future amid Chinese threats to annex the island by force, saying Beijing should “refrain from its threatening gestures” and not destroy the island’s prosperity.
“Taiwan deserves to play this role as a global, strategic, responsible and reliable international partner to the full,” Beer told Tsai.
“Only the Taiwanese people can decide on Taiwanese future,” Beer said, adding that China should “take an active and constructive part in maintaining and securing the current status quo based on mutual and respectful dialogue.”
In her comments, Tsai hailed growing economic relations between Taiwan and the EU and the passage of 20 resolutions in the European Parliament since the start of 2021 favorable to Taipei.
“On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Vice President Beer,” Tsai said.
Beer is one of 14 vice presidents of the European Parliament, whose members are elected from the EU’s 27 member states and which exercises legislative, budgetary and oversight powers over the bloc’s executive, the European Commission. Its members are known for taking independent stances on foreign relations, human rights and the environment.
Beer’s visit is the latest in a series of increasingly active moves by European and American politicians to counter China’s aggressive assertions of its global clout, including a relentless drive to isolate Taiwan diplomatically.
Beijing cut off all contacts with Taipei following Tsai’s initial 2016 election over her refusal to acknowledge that Taiwan is a part of China and her efforts to build an independent Taiwanese identity.