The European Parliament yesterday passed a resolution stating that UN Resolution 2758 does not have any bearing on Taiwan’s participation in the UN or other international organizations, and rejected as unacceptable any unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
The motion passed by 432 votes in favor and 60 against with 71 abstentions during a plenary vote.
The resolution condemned China’s continued military provocations against Taiwan, including drills around the nation on Monday last week.
Photo: AFP
“Any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, will not be accepted and will be met with a decisive and firm reaction,” it says.
It also states that UN Resolution 2758 “takes no position on Taiwan” and said the parliament “strongly rejects and refutes the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China’s] attempts to distort history and international rules.”
The members called on the EU and its member states to support Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in international bodies, including the WHO, International Civil Aviation Organization, Interpol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, while also calling on the UN Secretariat to allow access to Taiwanese, including journalists.
The resolution also condemned Chinese “gray zone” warfare tactics, including cyberwarfare and disinformation campaigns, to undermine trust in Taiwan’s democracy and institutions, and called for greater cooperation between the EU and Taiwan to counter these efforts.
At the same time, the EU resolution reiterated that the bloc’s “remains committed to its ‘one China’ policy as the political foundation of EU-China relations.”
It is the latest European statement about the UN resolution following a speech by European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit at the parliament on Tuesday.
In the speech, the EU official reiterated the bloc’s long-held “one China” policy, but added that the EU and Taiwan are “like-minded” and the European Commission opposes “any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion.”
The European commissioner — speaking on behalf of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell — also reiterated the EU’s stance that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is of “strategic importance for regional and global security and prosperity.”
For the first time, the official mentioned China’s interpretation of UN Resolution 2758.
“United Nations Resolution 2758 is very short — only 150 words,” Schmit said. “And among those 150 words, the word ‘Taiwan’ does not appear.”
“The resolution switched representation in the United Nations from the ‘representatives of Chiang Kai-shek’ [蔣介石] to the ‘representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China,’” he said.
“I welcome the European Parliament’s focus on this issue and this important debate. We should take all opportunities to promote a more positive dynamic in cross-strait relations, which contributes to peace, not only in the region, but also globally,” he added.
Schmit’s address was significant because it is the first time the European Commission, the executive branch of EU, has “expressed its view” on the issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry called on more countries around the world to join the EU and the US in addressing Beijing’s “misinterpretation of the resolution” to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS