European Parliament argues that “only the democratically elected Government of Taiwan can represent the Taiwanese people on the international stage”
This Thursday, the European Parliament condemned China’s “continued military provocations” against Taiwan. MEPs reject “any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait”indicates the institution in statement. The topic – which resulted in a resolution approved with 432 votes in favor and 60 against – was discussed in a plenary session on Tuesday, during which three Portuguese MEPs criticized China and showed support for Taiwan.
The People’s Republic of China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and has already threatened to use force for reunification. It recently sent warships and a record number of 125 fighter jets to military exercises around Taiwan. The island has been governed autonomously since 1949, when Chinag Kai-shek nationalists lost the Chinese civil war against the Communist Party and took refuge in Taiwan, which retains the official name of the Republic of China.
Socialist Francisco Assis described that China “under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, it continues its war games around the island in an increasingly overt effort to intimidate Taiwan”. In his speech, the MEP praised the stance of the people and authorities of Taiwan, saying that “they have managed to reconcile an enviable cold blood with a burning desire for freedom”.
David vs Goliath
“China can no longer disguise how much this strategy disturbs and disorients it. This alone explains the excessive display of military equipment that took place last week. The EU must therefore stand firm in support of Taiwan and its strategy of asserting soft sovereignty against the brute force of the Chinese Goliath”, defended the person elected by the PS.
Sebastião Bugalho, PSD MEP, highlighted democracy as a point of connection between the EU and Taiwan. “The last few years have taught us that silence is not the right response to intimidation and that realism can also end up being an act of naivety”, he maintained.
Diplomatic relations between Portugal and the People’s Republic of China were established in 1979. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Portugal in 2018, the two countries signed an joint statement in which Portugal “reaffirmed continued adherence to the ‘One China’ principle, as well as support for the Chinese position on the Taiwan issue”. Here, Taiwan does not have an embassy but it does have the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Portugal.
SAM YEH
European Parliament defends Taiwan’s participation in international organizations
At the center of the debate was also the interpretation of resolution 2758 of the United Nations of 1971. The document describes that representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China “are China’s only legitimate representatives at the United Nations”, giving the communist country a place as a permanent member of the Security Council and removing “Chiang Kai-shek’s representatives from the place they illegally occupied” at the UN.
O European Parliament accuses China of trying to “distort international history and rules”stressing that the United Nations document does not take a position in relation to Taiwan and that “Only the democratically elected Government of Taiwan can represent the Taiwanese people on the international stage”. MEPs’ appeals include support for Taiwan’s participation in international entities such as the World Health Organization. Despite this, the resolution also states that the EU remains committed to the ‘one China’ policy.
“Every missile fired towards that island is a warning sent towards us. Recognizing the one-China policy is not, cannot be, recognizing the right to invasion”, defended Bugalho on Tuesday. Assis understands that Beijing has a “distorted interpretation” of the United Nations resolution.
MEP António Tânger Correia (Chega) accused the Asian State of making “a very altered political interpretation of what the resolution was made for”. The far-right elected official warned of the impact that the “one country, two systems” principle would have if it were adopted in Taiwan. “We see with great displeasure what has been done in Hong Kong and Macauwith major violations of human rights and corporate rights that exist there. Taiwan would be no different,” said Tangier, adding that “the Chinese will not back down, they are a global and regional danger.”
