TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Europe should openly cooperate with Taiwan so that its democracy can be seen by the world, Nicola Beer, a vice president of the European Parliament, said on Friday (July 22).
Speaking to German newspaper Der Tagesspiel, Beer said the Russia-Ukraine war made Europe realize that democracies should be more united. She pointed out that Russia violates international law by redefining its borders at will, while China does not abide by international norms.
In order to avoid a repeat of what happened to Ukraine, it is necessary for Europe to earnestly support Taiwan, she said. Beer warned that Chinese aggression in the form of near-daily provocations in Taiwan's air defense identification zone and international waters and trade pressure is very dangerous, per CNA.
China should know that it will pay a very high price by invading Taiwan, she said. The vice president added that open cooperation between the EU and Taiwan would protect it from a Chinese attack.
Beer held talks with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) during a trip to Taiwan from July 19-21, marking the first time a senior European Parliament member visited the East Asian nation.
Beer recalled that conversations with Taiwanese officials had two main themes. First, Taiwan's democracy should be seen by the world.
The second is how to ensure Taiwan's stability and peace, which not only affects the freedom of the Taiwanese but also affects geopolitics, she said, adding that the prosperity of Europe depends on Taiwan's supply chain.
With regard to EU-Taiwan relations, Beer said Europe and Taiwan share the values of democracy, the rule of law, and the market economy. The vice president said that she supports EU-Taiwan negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement, as well as the upgrade of the EU representative office in Taiwan.
Beer said she also expects Taiwan's semiconductor industry to invest in Europe, pointing out that the chip bill being discussed by the EU can provide a framework for Taiwan's investment, and Taiwan has expressed great interest in investing in the region.
