President Tsai Ing-wen said Oct. 3 that the government is committed to enhancing cooperation with Germany to realize the values of justice, peace and ecological sustainability.
Taiwan and Germany are partners in freedom and democracy and the bilateral relationship has become stronger, Tsai said, citing the signing of numerous pacts covering a broad spectrum of areas such as energy transition, financial supervision and transitional justice over the years.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving the Bundestag delegation led by Klaus-Peter Willsch, chair of the Germany-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group. The cross-party group includes lawmakers from the main parliamentary parties, Katrin Budde, Rainer Kraft, Caren Lay, Frank Schaffler and Till Steffen.
Tsai took the opportunity to thank Germany for its staunch support, including a resolution passed by the German Bundestag backing Taiwan’s observer status at the 75th World Health Assembly and a letter endorsed by 125 cross-party lawmakers urging Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, to regularize Taiwan’s participation in the WHO.
Germany assumed the presidency of Group of Seven this year and following China’s live-fire exercises in August, the G7’s foreign minister immediately issued a joint statement reaffirming commitment to preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Tsai said.
According to Tsai, amid severe global challenges such as climate change and the expansion of authoritarian regimes, democratic allies around the world should jointly defend their shared values. Tsai also thanked the delegation for its visit, which is the first after the COVID-19 pandemic abated.
In response, Willsch said that he had known Tsai for many years and Taiwan should be proud of its democratic development. He added that Germany has collaborated with Taiwan over a wide range of fields, including economic cooperation and academic exchanges for over a decade. (DL-E)
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