TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Switzerland’s lower house of parliament, the National Council, passed a motion to boost ties with Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan on Tuesday (May 2).

The motion was proposed by the Foreign Affairs Committee and encourages cooperation between the two sides that contributes to strengthening democracy, promoting peace and regional stability, as well as deepening economic, political, scientific, and cultural exchanges between Switzerland and Taiwan, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) press release.

MOFA cited Fabian Molina, co-chair of the National Council's Taiwan friendship group, as saying that democracy is increasingly declining in the world, and democratic countries must support each other. The Swiss parliament should not allow China to interfere with its sovereign decisions, he said.

Nicolas Walder, another co-chair of the Taiwan friendship group, said that the motion demonstrates support for democratic Taiwan. Both Molina and Walder visited Taiwan in February as part of a Swiss parliamentary delegation.

The pro-Taiwan motion is the second passed by the National Council in two years after it voted to improve ties with Taiwan in 2021.

Taiwan and Switzerland share universal values such as democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, MOFA said. It pledged to continue deepening bilateral relations and work with like-minded countries, including Switzerland, “to contribute more to global freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and sustainable prosperity.”

Many countries have begun to strengthen parliamentary ties and exchanges with Taiwan in recent years, by sending delegations to Taiwan and receiving Taiwanese lawmakers. Parliamentary diplomacy has become a way for Taiwan to deepen relations with the world without triggering too severe of a backlash from China.