1st group of European parliamentarians visit Taiwan since June election

Taipei, Oct. 27 (CNA) A group of European Parliament (EP) members led by the chair of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group, Michael Gahler from Germany, arrived in Taiwan on Sunday to begin a six-day visit that will include meetings with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and other officials.

The delegation -- which also includes EP members Bernard Guetta from France and Ondřej Kolář from the Czech Republic, as well as the friendship group's secretary-general Markus Poesentrup from Germany -- is the first group from the EP to have visited Taiwan since the European Union's legislative branch held a round of elections in June, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

During the group's trip, which lasts until Nov. 1, the delegates will meet with Hsiao, join a banquet hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中), and visit the nation's top lawmaking body, the Legislative Yuan, MOFA said in a press release on Sunday.

The European dignitaries will also meet with figures from NGOs and major political parties in Taiwan to engage in discussions on issues such as Taiwan-EU economic ties and the geopolitical situation to explore opportunities for further cooperation, it said.

The European delegation's visit comes after the EP on Oct. 24 adopted a resolution concerning the "misinterpretation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 by the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan," MOFA noted.

Expressing opposition to the PRC's use of the 1971 resolution that replaced Taipei with Beijing at the U.N. to block Taiwan's participation in U.N.-affiliated international organizations to this day, the EP resolution was adopted by 432 votes in favor and 60 against.