The European Parliament yesterday passed a resolution requiring the EU to quickly sign an agreement with Taiwan on supply chain resilience and to strongly support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
That would also include Taiwan working with the EU to reform the WTO.
Before the vote on resolution 2023/2829(RSP), which involves Taiwan-EU trade and investment relations, European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on Tuesday said that there were little to no obstacles facing Taiwan-EU trade as both regions believe in a free market and have adopted a democratic model of government.
Photo: Screen grab from Dombrovskis’ X account
However, local content requirements presented obstacles for off-shore wind farm investments in Taiwan, and border quarantine regulations made it difficult to export processed goods to Taiwan, especially meat products, Dombrovskis said.
Commenting on how Taiwan and the EU could mutually improve market resilience in light of current geopolitical conditions, Dombrovskis said that ministerial-level trade dialogue between Taiwan and the EU began last year.
He said that the issues discussed have shifted from trade to economic security, including foreign direct investment monitoring and management, cooperation on economic sanctions and restricting exports of goods for the civilian and military sectors.
Regarding the possibility of a Taiwan-EU agreement on supply chain resilience being signed, he said that the agreement involves multiple departments, and he could not answer for them.
Taiwan and the EU held annual talks on trade issues, he said, adding: “Now is the time for Taiwan to demonstrate a willingness to handle what we are concerned about.”
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from several countries have called the European Commission out on its conservative attitude toward Taiwan, with Spanish, French and German members saying that there is an evident discrepancy in how the EU treats Taiwan compared with other nations.
Dutch MEP Michiel Hoogeveen said Taiwan-EU relations should not be dependent on how China might react, while Swedish MEP Karin Karlsbro said a bilateral Taiwan-EU trade agreement “will send a clear message to Beijing” that China cannot decide who the EU wishes to establish trade relations with.
Other members, such as Belgian MEP Kathleen van Brempt, said Taiwan has a critical role in the EU’s regional strategy, especially regarding geopolitics.
Slovakian MEP Ivan Stefanec and Lithuanian MEP Liudas Mazylis said that Taiwan is a strategic partner for the EU, both economically and regarding the defense of democracy.
They said the EU should voice support for Tawan’s participation in multilateral organizations, such as the World Health Assembly.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers