A delegation of seven MEPs from the European Parliament’s Special Committee for Foreign Interference (INGE) is currently in Taiwan for a three-day visit (3-5 November). According to the delegation Chair, Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D, France), this is the “first Parliament delegation to visit the island since the creation of Parliament”.
The delegation, composed of members of the EPP, S&D, Greens/EFA, Renew Europe and ID Groups, will discuss Taiwan’s experiences in combating disinformation, attempts to interfere with Taiwanese democracy, media, culture and education, as well as Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its cyber resilience, according to a Parliament press release.
After a meeting with the delegation on Wednesday 3 November, Taiwanese Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang highlighted the similarities between Taiwan and the EU. “Although we are geographically very far away, between our two sides, we share the same values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights and Rule of law... In those regards, we are actually very close”, he explained, quoted by AP.
For his part, Mr Glucksmann said that the “flourishing” of Taiwan’s democracy was “formidable”. “You have shown that in this region democracy can flourish and that authoritarian regimes are not the future”, added the head of the delegation, who is one of the MEPs sanctioned by China.
The delegation is also due to meet with the President of Taiwan, the Minister of Mainland Affairs as well as the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Speaker of the Taiwanese Parliament. The delegation will also participate in a series of round tables on disinformation with Taiwanese and European experts.
On 27 October, the Chinese mission to the EU denounced the visit as “a serious violation of the EU’s commitment to the One-China policy, damaging China’s core interests and undermining the healthy development of China-EU relations”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)