Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu received two certificates of appreciation June 16 at the European Parliament from the EP- and Belgium-Taiwan Friendship Groups for his contributions to deepening ties with the like-minded partners, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In his acceptance speech, Wu thanked the legislators for emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, supporting the expansion of Taiwan-Europe cooperation and backing Taiwan’s global participation.
Such actions show that Taiwan is not alone, Wu said, adding that the government will continue to promote well-being around the world. The minister also urged the EU and democracies in Europe to keep following cross-strait developments to monitor authoritarian expansion.
According to the MOFA, the minister accepted the honors during his meeting with 12 lawmakers from Europe, including EP Vice President Nicola Beer and Vice Chair of the EP Subcommittee on Security and Defense Rasa Jukneviciene. Also in attendance were Georges Dallemagne, co-president of the Belgium-Taiwan Friendship Group; Claude Wiseler, a member of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies; and Baroness Brinton, a member of the UK House of Lords.
During the meeting, Jukneviciene praised Taiwan for continuing to courageously defend freedom and democracy despite China’s escalating aggression. Support from the EP has reached new heights in recent years, with parliamentarians across the political spectrum reaching a consensus, she added.
Echoing Jukneviciene’s remarks, Dallemagne called on European countries to continue backing Taiwan’s global participation, Wiseler thanked Taiwan for donating face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Brinton lauded Taiwan’s public and private sectors for voluntarily assisting Ukraine after the Russian invasion. (SFC-E)
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