Premier Chen Chien-jen welcomed Thomas Heilmann, a member of the German Bundestag, to Taipei City Aug. 29 and expressed appreciation for the parliament’s pledges to deepen mutually beneficial bilateral ties and stalwart support for Taiwan’s global participation.
According to the Executive Yuan, Heilmann is visiting the country as head of a delegation that comprises five senior members of the Asia-Pacific department of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a political organization based in Berlin.
During his opening remarks, Chen said the policy paper issued in April this year by CDU/CSU in the Bundestag urged the EU to enhance support for maintaining the cross-strait status quo from the position that such an action is in Germany’s strategic best interests. The policy paper also called for stronger economic sanctions that would go into effect if China were to launch an assault on Taiwan, the premier said, adding that the strong concern for regional stability is sincerely appreciated by the government and people.
Chen said that Taiwan is on the front line of authoritarian expansion and has knowledge to share with countries like Germany, with whom it shares the values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights.
In response, Heilmann thanked the premier for his warm hospitality. Citing a meeting with Digital Minister Audrey Tang and their discussion of the ways Germany can learn from Taiwan’s digital processes, he called his trip a successful one.
Heilmann also spoke of his visit to Academia Sinica, which shares a similar historical background with German research institutions. The parliamentarian looks forward to expanding exchanges with Taiwan on multiple fronts in the future. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw