France must take bolder action to support Taiwan’s democracy without fearing potential sanctions by China, and Paris upholds freedom of navigation in the Asia-Pacific region, French lawmakers said in Taipei yesterday.
The lawmakers, part of a parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan from Wednesday to tomorrow, made the remarks at a news conference at the Marriott Taipei.
The delegation is led by Francois de Rugy, chairman of the French National Assembly’s France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Photo: Cheng I-hwa, Reuters
This is his second trip to Taiwan after a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in 2016.
It is notable that Taiwan has faced increasing threats over the past five-and-a-half years, while the Taiwan Strait’s importance for the world is also rising, De Rugy said in French.
Taiwan’s role on the global stage should be boosted, he said, citing the assembly’s passage of a resolution last month in support of Taiwan’s participation in international forums.
The delegation’s visit is an expression of support for the “status quo,” and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, De Rugy said.
“We condemn any coercive actions,” he said.
France should take the lead among European countries to support Taiwan, especially when Taiwan, a progressive democracy, is facing direct security threats, French Member of Parliament Frederique Dumas said.
We are from a country that cherishes democracy and freedom, and has in its history renowned thinkers and writers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu, Dumas said.
Asked about Beijing’s bullying of Lithuania, Dumas cited Tsai’s remarks, saying that people should not be afraid of Chinese pressure.
Australia is also facing trade sanctions by China, but it did not bow to the pressure, she said.
France must not fear potential Chinese sanctions because it supports fellow democracies, Dumas said.
French Member of Parliament Jean-Luc Reitzer said that his political party, The Republicans, used to have closer ties with China and that former French president Charles de Gaulle in 1964 was the first Western leader to establish ties with Beijing.
“I do not visit Taiwan out of animosity against China,” Reitzer said in French, but added that he has principles.
He supports Taiwan’s democracy and maintains that people should have the right to determine their own destiny, Reitzer said.
“We also uphold freedom of navigation in the Asia-Pacific region,” which is vital to France’s economic exchanges with other countries, he said, adding that French Pacific territory New Caledonia has voted to remain part of France.
The lawmakers were asked to share France’s experience balancing power supply and environmental protection.
The situation varies from country to country, French Member of Parliament Jean-Louis Bricout said. European countries can be mutually supportive in power supply, while Taiwan as an island faces different conditions.
Nonetheless, France and Taiwan have the determination to promote energy transition, Bricout said.
France is reducing the ratio of electricity generated from nuclear sources, while increasing generation from renewable sources, which is difficult, but the country hopes to make its power supply “greener” and more balanced among the options, he said.
Taiwan and France should deepen cooperation in hydrogen power and energy storage technologies, he said.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
DEFENSE: The National Security Bureau promised to expand communication and intelligence cooperation with global partners and enhance its strategic analytical skills China has not only increased military exercises and “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan this year, but also continues to recruit military personnel for espionage, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday in a report to the Legislative Yuan. The bureau submitted the report ahead of NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s (蔡明彥) appearance before the Foreign and National Defense Committee today. Last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “Joint Sword-2024A and B” military exercises targeting Taiwan and carried out 40 combat readiness patrols, the bureau said. In addition, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s airspace 3,070 times last year, up about
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 8:31am today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was located in Hualien County, about 70.3 kilometers south southwest of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 23.2km, according to the administration. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Hualien and Nantou counties, the CWA said.
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) yesterday announced a fundraising campaign to support survivors of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, with two prayer events scheduled in Taipei and Taichung later this week. “While initial rescue operations have concluded [in Myanmar], many survivors are now facing increasingly difficult living conditions,” OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) told a news conference in Taipei. The fundraising campaign, which runs through May 31, is focused on supporting the reconstruction of damaged overseas compatriot schools, assisting students from Myanmar in Taiwan, and providing essential items, such as drinking water, food and medical supplies,
RSS