Peace cannot be achieved by compromising sovereignty: Tsai in Europe

Brussels, Oct. 17 (CNA) Compromising sovereignty and yielding to authoritarian aggression will not bring about peace, former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said during a visit to the European Parliament's complex in Brussels on Thursday.

"Peace cannot be achieved by yielding to authoritarian aggression or by compromising our sovereignty and democratic way of life," Tsai told a reception attended by about 50 members of the European Parliament and hosted by Slovakian MEP Miriam Lexmann.

"To uphold peace, one needs to be strong and determined," Tsai said.

She urged the global democratic community to continue standing together in opposing and deterring Beijing's "maritime and airspace incursions" that she said were aimed at altering the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and jeopardizing regional stability.

At the same time, she said, Taiwan is "eager" to deepen its connections with the world, and stands ready to share its best practices with the global community in areas such as economic and technological development, public health, and the fight against disinformation.

Taiwan is also "a crucial and trusted partner" in efforts to strengthen global supply chains and economic security, she said.

"I hope the European Parliament and the national parliaments of the EU member states will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations."

On Thursday, Tsai arrived in Brussels, the last stop of her week-long European tour, and made the first visit to the European Parliament branch in the Belgian capital by a former Taiwanese president.

The European tour, which has also included stops in the Czech Republic and France, is also the first overseas trip by Tsai after stepping down as president in May following two four-year terms.

She currently holds no official positions but remains an influential figure within Taiwanese politics and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Speaking at Thursday's reception, Lexmann called for cooperation among partners in the increasingly complex global geopolitical landscape to protect democratic institutions and strengthen economic development.

"It is the sovereign right of every European country to develop relations with Taiwan," Lexmann said, while describing the People's Republic of China as "the biggest threat to the global peace and security."

She later told CNA that the European Union could not let Beijing "abuse the 'one China' policy" and thus hamper the bloc from developing its own cooperation with Taiwan.

Lexmann is a member of the Slovakian Christian Democratic Movement and affiliated to the European People's Party, the largest party in the European Parliament.

She was one of the MEPs sanctioned by the Chinese government in 2021, in a tit-for-tat response to the EU's restrictive measures against four Chinese officials for human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority in China.

Meanwhile, German MEP Engin Eroglu, who currently heads the European Parliament's China Delegation, said on social media after the reception that Taiwan is "a true partner to the EU" and that the EU "must do everything in its power" to prevent a military conflict in the region.

"The EU will continue to support Taiwan and further strengthen our friendship-based partnership," he said, adding that by working together, the two sides can "face the challenges ahead and promote shared values of democracy and freedom."