TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) accompanied by Presidential Secretary General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) met with a cross-party EU Parliament delegation led by Rasa Jukneviciene, vice president of the EU's Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE), on Wednesday (June 21).
Tsai said Taiwan is willing to deepen cooperation with the EU and other democracies in many fields. She also thanked the EU Parliament for passing legislation to support Taiwan's security and international status.
"Taiwan is willing to deepen cooperation with the EU and likeminded countries in areas such as trade, science and technology, culture and regional security. Together we can strengthen our democratic alliances and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity," Tsai said.
Delighted to meet with @RJukneviciene’s @Europarl_EN delegation of MEPs from #Lithuania, #Estonia, #Romania & #Hungary. #Taiwan welcomes further cooperation with our European partners to strengthen the democratic ties that drive our collective security & prosperity. pic.twitter.com/UC9JB8HzoK
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) June 21, 2023
Jukneviciene stressed the unity of democracies and shared values as reasons for the visit. She said Taiwan is a neighbor of the EU and a partner in defending the rule-based order in Asia.
She also stated that there is a direct connection between European prosperity and Asia's security. She added this is an area where Taiwan can play a significant role, contributing to the rule-based order in the region.
She praised Taiwan for combating disinformation and cyber risks while respecting democratic values. She said the EU could learn from Taiwan's measures to improve social resilience and readiness.
"We are united by the determination to be on the right side of history ... the people of our countries and your country have stood on the right side of history," she added. She alluded to the mutual support both countries provided to Ukrainians.
She also expressed pride in the opening of Taiwanese and Lithuanian representative offices in each other's countries. She said this would enhance the relations between Taiwan and Lithuania.
"Although we are separated by thousands of kilometers, we feel that Taiwan is our neighbor," she said.
The meeting followed Foreign Minister Joseph Wu's (吳釗燮) trip to Europe, where he met with several EU lawmakers and Czech President Petr Pavel.
