TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Netherlands House of Representatives on Tuesday (Nov. 19) passed a resolution calling for an investment agreement between Taiwan and Europe.

The resolution was led by Jan Paternotte, a member of the Democrats 66 party and co-chair of the Netherlands chapter of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). The resolution calls on the Dutch government to support the start of official negotiations on an investment agreement between Taiwan and a leading group of European countries. 

The resolution said that Taiwan's semiconductor industry and the Netherlands' ASML, the global leader in advanced chip manufacturing machines, "together form the artery of the global economy.” It points out that, given the Netherlands' semiconductor industry and its position as home to Europe's largest port, maintaining good relations with Taiwan and ensuring regional stability is particularly important to Dutch interests. 

The measure also notes that as China escalates its intimidation of Taiwan, the economic damage from a potential conflict could surpass that caused by the global financial crisis and the pandemic combined. Strengthening economic ties with Taiwan brings economic benefits and “sends a clear signal to China that Europe wants to maintain the status quo,” added the resolution.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed the move and thanked Dutch representatives for their support. 

MOFA said support for Taiwan in the Dutch parliament has grown stronger in recent years. This resolution marks the fourth pro-Taiwan motion passed by the Netherlands House of Representatives this year.

Other resolutions have included support for Taiwan’s international participation, a call for the Dutch government to work with the EU and like-minded countries in response to China’s Joint Sword-2024A military exercise in May, and a clarification that UN Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. In addition, the Dutch House sent its largest delegation to Taiwan in late October.