Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group Officially Established in Berlin State Parliament.
The “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” has been officially registered in the Berlin State Parliament, with a total of 18 bipartisan state parliament members joining, becoming the first officially registered foreign-friendly organization in the Berlin State Parliament. Co-chair Jian Omar stated at the inaugural meeting today that in the face of the military and political threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to Taiwan, the democratic camp must stand together with Taiwan.
The “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” held its inaugural meeting on the 27th at the Berlin State Parliament. The group was initially established in 2022 by pro-Taiwan members of parliament voluntarily. Recently, it was endorsed by three party caucuses in the state parliament and officially registered with the Berlin State Parliament, becoming the first officially established foreign-friendly organization in the Berlin State Parliament.
The parliamentary factions supporting the establishment of the “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” include the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Greens, with a total of 18 Berlin state parliament members joining. The group is co-chaired by the former chair of the pro-Taiwan group, Tamara Lüdke, and Jian Omar.
Lüdke stated at the inaugural meeting that in 2022, pro-Taiwan members of parliament in Berlin formed the pro-Taiwan group on their own initiative, and now, with the endorsement of three party caucuses in the state parliament and the participation of members from various committees, it demonstrates that the pro-Taiwan group has gained recognition from their parliamentary colleagues.
Omar further emphasized that the pro-Taiwan group links not only the political and economic relations between Berlin and Taiwan but also reflects the shared democratic values between the two sides.
Omar expressed, “Taiwan is the beacon of democracy in Asia. Democracy does not come automatically; it requires effort to strive for and be defended with life.” He stated that when the Chinese Communist Party conducts a comprehensive threat to Taiwan, including military and political aspects, the democratic camp must stand with Taiwan. In the future, the pro-Taiwan group will serve as a hub for exchanges and cooperation between Berlin and Taiwan.
At the inaugural meeting, more than 20 state parliament members and pro-Taiwan individuals, including Representative Gu Ruizheng from the Republic of China in Germany, Deputy Governor Stefan Evers of Berlin State, and Deputy Speaker Dennis Buchner of the state parliament, were in attendance.
Gu expressed his gratitude to the Berlin state parliament members for pushing through the establishment of the pro-Taiwan group across party caucuses. He mentioned that Berlin was once surrounded by the communist world as the “island of freedom” and continues to represent freedom, democracy, and hope. Common values such as democracy, technology, and innovation will also closely link Berlin and Taiwan. He looks forward to the pro-Taiwan group facilitating more Berlin state parliament members visiting Taiwan to further deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation.
The “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” has also been viewed as a reference model for Berlin’s development of city council diplomacy. The Christian Democratic Union Berlin State Parliament Caucus issued a city partnership policy document in 2023, advocating emulating the “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” to establish friendly relations with places like Warsaw and Kyiv.
According to the Representative Office of the Republic of China in Germany, aside from Berlin, there are also state parliament members in Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Hesse, and Bavaria forming pro-Taiwan groups. After the official registration of the “Berlin-Taipei Friendship Group” in the Berlin State Parliament, it will be on par with the German Parliament’s pro-Taiwan group as an officially recognized foreign-friendly organization within the parliament.
(Transferred from Central News Agency)