European Parliament Passes Report Supporting Taiwan and Peace in Taiwan Strait
European Parliament Backs Taiwan in East Asia Report
The European Parliament demonstrated its support for Taiwan and underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait by passing a report on the geopolitical situation in East Asia. [1] The report titled The changing geopolitical situation in East Asia was overwhelmingly passed by the 720-seat legislature on Tuesday with 542 lawmakers voting in favor. [1] Representative to the EU and Belgium Shieh Jhy-wey said the report mentioned Taiwan 44 times. [1] The European Parliament president is instructed to forward the recommendations to the governments and parliaments of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. [1]
Report Highlights Strategic Importance of Taiwan Strait
The report outlined seven key points including the strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait, like-minded cooperation, a comprehensive cooperation framework, economic ties, Taiwan’s international participation, opposing coercion and parliamentary diplomacy. [1] Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance to regional and global security according to the report. [1] Some EU member states maintain naval deployments in the Indo-Pacific region and preserving the status quo there is in the bloc's direct interest. [1] The report called for deeper practical cooperation with like-minded East Asian partners particularly Taiwan, Japan and South Korea saying that it is the best way to safeguard EU interests and global security. [1] It called for joint efforts to address economic coercion and hybrid threats, strengthen strategic autonomy and reduce dependence on China while highlighting the importance of the robust institutions and vibrant democracies of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea as a key balancing force in the region. [1] The report reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and opposed any unilateral attempt to change the status quo through coercion. [1] The EU together with its member states and like-minded partners would deliver clear and consistent messages that any disputes must be resolved peacefully through dialogue in accordance with international law and with respect for the will of Taiwanese. [1]
Proposed EU-Taiwan Cooperation Framework
The report proposed establishing a structured and comprehensive Taiwan-EU cooperation framework based on existing mechanisms such as the EU-Taiwan Trade and Investment Dialogue. [1] Areas of cooperation would include semiconductors, artificial intelligence, supply-chain resilience, cybersecurity, countering disinformation, maritime security, public health, civil protection, secure connectivity, democratic resilience, social and energy resilience and disaster preparedness. [1] It called for the EU-Taiwan Trade and Investment Dialogue to be reinforced to address market-access barriers and provide greater legal certainty for European investors while exploring negotiations on a Taiwan-EU bilateral investment agreement or other trade-related frameworks. [1] The report reiterated support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations and technical forums including the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. [1] It urged China to coordinate closely with regional actors including Taiwan during major global public health emergencies saying that attempts by authoritarian regimes to interfere in Taiwan-EU relations are unacceptable. [1] The report expressed hope for deeper parliamentary diplomacy and exchanges between the European Parliament and the legislatures of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea on issues of common concern. [1]
Taiwanese Government Reaction
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the report again demonstrated the European Parliament's strong support for Taiwan and its concern for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. [1] Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanked the European Parliament for continuing to back Taiwan through concrete actions. [1] Representative to the EU and Belgium Shieh Jhy-wey wrote on Facebook that the report identifies Taiwan as the EU’s key democratic partner in the Indo-Pacific region. [1] Shieh also noted the report calls for robust cooperation with Taiwan, Japan and South Korea and opposes any unilateral change to the status quo involving coercion. [1]
Other Global Geopolitical Developments
Israeli officials stated willingness to assist the US against Iran if requested by President Trump while indicating no current plans to join the conflict. [2] Sources in Jerusalem told the New York Post that Israel is willing to join the United States in striking Iran should US President Donald Trump request it. [2] IDF officials told The Jerusalem Post that Israel was not planning to be drawn into the US-Iran exchanges at this time though they said the military is ready for any eventuality. [2] Pakistani authorities have finalized preparations for a new phase of deportations that could see around 20,000 Afghan nationals returned from the northwestern city of Peshawar to Afghanistan. [4] Chinese government-backed geologists have warned that the mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River sits above an active fault line capable of triggering landslides, earthquakes and structural instability. [5] A paper published last month in the Chinese-language journal Sedimentary Geology and Tethyan Geology supervised by the state-owned China Geological Survey noted that the Paizhen Fault runs directly through the area where the hydropower project is being constructed. [5] The dam is designed to generate around 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually roughly three times the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam. [5]
What to watch next: The European Parliament president will forward the recommendations to the governments and parliaments of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea while Israeli officials monitor whether the US requests assistance in strikes on Iran and Pakistan proceeds with the deportation of around 20,000 Afghans from Peshawar.
