President of European Parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group Leads Delegation in Paying Courtesy Call on the MAC
The recently-elected European Parliament’s (EP) seven-member Taiwan Friendship Group delegation led by President Georg Jarzembowski paid a courtesy call on the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today, November 1. The delegation was received by MAC Chairman Jaushieh Joseph Wu and Vice Chairman David Wei-Feng Huang.
The European Union expanded to 25 member countries starting on May 1 this year. In June the number of Members of the European Parliament elected for the 6th term, including those of the new member countries, has now reached 732. The delegation headed by Jarzembowski is the first Taiwan Friendship Group to visit Taiwan in this new parliamentary term, making the trip exceptionally meaningful.
Chairman Wu expressed his sincere thanks to the Group’s long-term support for Taiwan, and answered questions posed by the delegation members on such issues as the meaning of the “one China policy” and Beijing’s “one China principle,” the foundation of the 1992 Hong Kong talks, the possible effects of US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s statements in Beijing on US-Taiwan relations, the cross-Strait trade and economic exchanges, the possibility of integrating the different political systems on both sides of the Strait, the immigration policies on both sides of the Strait, and China’s military threats. He also emphasized Taiwan’s serious concerns about the European Union’s lifting of the arms embargo to China.
In answering inquiries, Chairman Wu stated that whether the Democratic or the Republican candidates win in the US presidential elections, the US would not change its cross-Strait policy that is based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the three communiqués.
China has continued to declare that it will not abandon the use of force against Taiwan and has gradually increased the military strength of its navy, army, and air forces. The Government is concerned that the European Union’s lifting of the arms embargo to China would give China an erroneous signal that it is encouraged to reinforce the military pressure it has been imposing on Taiwan, and even the use of force against Taiwan. Chairman Wu believes that the European Union should understand the situation and carefully handle the lifting of the arms embargo, to avoid a military imbalance between both sides of the Strait. The Taiwan Government and the Taiwanese people are deeply grateful to the European Parliament for taking a clear stance toward this issue.
Chairman Wu especially pointed out that although cross-Strait trade and economic and personnel exchanges have continued to grow, China still keeps on imposing a military threat against Taiwan and repressing Taiwan in the diplomatic arena. It has spared no effort in compressing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and in non-formal international occasions, and its actions are even getting more intense. In the international invention exhibition recently held in Nuremberg, Germany, the irrational behavior shown by China’s delegation toward the Taiwanese delegation was the most recent case.
Chairman Wu especially explained that Taiwan has continued to extend its goodwill after May 20. It is hoping that the other side of the Strait could engage in negotiations with us on substantial issues rationally and with goodwill, to bring peace to both sides of the Strait.
The EP Taiwan Friendship Group praised Taiwan for its long-term efforts to achieve democracy and peace. Chairman Wu also expressed gratitude to the European Parliament for its firm position of supporting Taiwan. The meeting, which lasted for one hour, was very harmonious.