TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — European Parliament (EU) Vice President Nicola Beer on Thursday (Dec. 3) denounced Beijing's open threat to take control of Taiwan by force and said the country must not suffer the same fate as Hong Kong.

In a video conference with Taiwan's representative in the EU, Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥), on Thursday, Beer urged European lawmakers to support Taiwan. She said the authoritarian regime is trying to change the cross-strait status quo without mutual consent.

Beer also expressed alarm at the arrests on Wednesday (Dec. 2) of Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders Joshua Wong (黃之鋒), Agnes Chow (周庭), and Ivan Lam (林朗彥). She said human rights and freedom of speech are no longer respected in the special administrative region.

The German politician declared “Taiwan cannot become the next Hong Kong” and that European nations must not stay silent when democracy is threatened. She added that each EU member state has a right to explore a partnership with the Taiwan government based on bilateral interests and democratic values.

Meanwhile, a recording of deputy speaker of the Taiwanese Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) was shown during the virtual meeting. He invited Beer to visit Taiwan on behalf of the legislature and encouraged the EU to initiate trade talks with the East Asian nation, reported CNA.

(Facebook, Taiwan in the EU and Belgium video screenshot)