European Parliament cross-party delegation visits Taiwan, with the Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China expressing gratitude for the delegation’s action to demonstrate firm support for Taiwan. In addition, members of the European Parliament cross-party delegation visited the think tanks of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China, engaging in discussions on topics such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the US Indo-Pacific strategy.
The Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China issued a press release stating that Deputy Minister Shen Youzhong received the “European Parliament cross-party delegation of friendly Taiwan members” led by the chair of the European Parliament Friends of Taiwan Group, Michael Gahler, on October 30. He thanked the European Parliament members for swiftly visiting Taiwan after passing a resolution on October 24 condemning the People’s Republic of China for improper interpretations of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and for continued military provocations against Taiwan. Chair Gahler presented a copy of the resolution to Shen Youzhong on-site, demonstrating tangible support for Taiwan.
Shen Youzhong congratulated the visitors on their election as new members of the European Parliament and expressed that the EU’s continuous support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations holds significant importance for Taiwan, hoping for increased future interactions and cooperation between Taiwan and Europe.
Emphasizing that the Chinese Communist Party has no authority to represent Taiwan, Shen Youzhong highlighted President Tsai Ing-wen’s “Four Upholds” and “Four Noes” principles in her inaugural address on May 20, clearly laying out Taiwan’s stance on cross-strait relations. He urged mainland China to stop misinterpreting UN Resolution 2758, cease using military threats against the Taiwanese people, and make contributions to regional and global peace, security, and prosperity. President Tsai’s related statements and views have garnered strong support from the Taiwanese people.
The European Parliament cross-party delegation of friendly Taiwan members comprised four individuals led by European Parliament Friends of Taiwan Group chair Gahler, including members of the European Parliament Bernard Guetta, Ondřej Kolář, and Markus Poesentrup, the secretary of the Friends of Taiwan Group.
The official websites of the think tanks of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China and the National Defense Security Research Institute released statements indicating that the delegation from the European Parliament cross-party delegation of friendly Taiwan members was hosted. During the meeting, experts from both sides engaged in extensive discussions on topics such as the trilateral relations between China, Russia, and North Korea, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the US Indo-Pacific strategy, and the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.
Gahler expressed concerns over recent actions by the Chinese military and noted the increasing military interaction between China and Russia. Ouyu Xifu, head of the Institute of Political-Military Affairs and Operational Concepts of the National Defense Institute, responded by stating that China is providing logistical support to Russia through third-party countries, bypassing sanctions imposed by Western nations. In return, Russia is offering energy resources to meet China’s logistics and energy supply needs.
The delegation pointed out the volatile nature of current international situations, suggesting a perceived “power vacuum” in the West’s response to crises, further exacerbating pressures. They highlighted Russia’s aggressive behavior in the war contributing to instability and criticized the relatively weak response from the EU, calling for reflection. Nonetheless, the delegation emphasized that despite the inhumane tragedies occurring in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Ukraine has not backed down, showcasing resilience.
Junior Researcher Li Junyi from the National Security Institute recommended that Taiwan encourage the development of unmanned aerial vehicle systems by private enterprises, but stressed the importance of integrating related industries into the supply chains of democratic countries to stimulate greater market capacity and innovation. He acknowledged that there are still technological gaps in drone systems and many complementary measures in military applications that need to be integrated, presenting opportunities for Taiwan to strengthen cooperation with Europe. Li Junyi admitted that Ukraine’s rapid innovation in drone technology and application as seen in the war could offer valuable lessons for Taiwan.
Discussing the possibility of an alliance system in the Indo-Pacific region in the future, Li Junyi pointed out that the US’s establishment of bilateral security relationships in the Indo-Pacific region, along with the convergence of ideas and values in some democratic countries, is the cornerstone for closer security cooperation in the region. However, he noted that the political developments within democratic countries could impact their foreign policies, potentially weakening efforts to deepen security cooperation when facing pressures from China with inconsistent responses and conflicting interests among countries.
Li Junyi stated that future security frameworks in the Indo-Pacific region are likely to be led by various “mini-multilateral” frameworks dominated by the US. Assistant Researcher Yang Yiku added that the second pillar of AUKUS is closely watched, particularly in terms of Japan’s involvement and Taiwan’s potential role within it, which will influence the US Indo-Pacific strategy.