European Parliament passes resolution in support of Taiwan

Brussels, Oct. 24 (CNA) The European Parliament (EP) on Thursday passed a resolution that denounces China's interpretation of a United Nations resolution that is cited to block Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

In the EP session on Thursday, the pro-Taiwan resolution was carried with a strong majority vote of 432-60, with 71 abstentions. It was titled "European Parliament resolution on the misinterpretation of U.N. resolution 2758 by the People's Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan."

The resolution, passed in a new plenary session in Strasbourg, said that China has been misinterpreting U.N. Resolution 2758, which shifted official recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the PRC in 1971.

The EP said it strongly rejects and refutes the PRC's attempts to distort history and international rules, and it also condemned China's continuous military provocations around Taiwan.

It put forward more than 20 points, including recognition of Taiwan as a key partner to the European Union and a like-minded democratic friend in the Indo-Pacific region. It also commended Taiwan and the Taiwanese people for their strong democracy and vibrant civil society.

In the resolution, the EP expressed gratitude for Taiwan's help and assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and its close cooperation with the EU and the United States in the response to Russia's war against Ukraine.

The EP said it welcomed visits by former and current Taiwanese politicians to Europe, including a recent visit by former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to the European Parliament on Oct. 17.

The Parliament also said it was encouraging continued exchanges between its members and Taiwan and more visits to Taiwan by official EP delegations.

In the resolution, the EP said it is calling on the European Commission to promptly launch preparatory measures for negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement, or other kinds of agreements, with Taiwan.

The EP also strongly condemned the PRC's "unwarranted military exercises of 14 October 2024, its continued military provocations against Taiwan, and its continued military build-up, which is changing the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific."

The Parliament said it firmly rejects any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

It lauded the "restraint and disciplined reaction of the Taiwanese authorities" and called for regular exchanges between the EU and its Taiwanese counterparts on relevant security issues.