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This week, the EU despatched its first official parliamentary delegation to Taiwan. The delegation consisted of seven members of the European Parliament’s Particular Committee on Overseas Interference, also called IGNE, together with six different lawmakers hailing from a variety of political events throughout the European Parliament. In what Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen referred to as a “extremely important” three-day go to, the EU delegation praised Taiwan’s thriving democracy and met with numerous Taiwanese authorities and civil society stakeholders to be taught finest practices for combating disinformation. Over the previous few months, the EU has shifted in the direction of extra complete relations with Taiwan, concurrent with China’s rising threats towards each EU member states and the island it considers its personal.
The delegation’s reception included conferences with Premier Su Tseng-chang and Deputy Overseas Minister Harry Tseng on Wednesday, President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday, and Digital Minister Audrey Tang on Friday. Either side projected a message of unity, starting with Taiwanese airline EVA Air shuttling the EU delegation from Paris to Taipei. The delegation referred to as Taiwan a “key companion and democratic ally.” Raphael Glucksmann, the French MEP main the delegation and chairperson of IGNE, described Taiwan’s democracy as a “treasure” that have to be protected. Sarah Wu at Reuters reported on Glucksmann and President Tsai’s solidarity and name for larger cooperation:
“We got here right here with a quite simple, very clear message: You aren’t alone. Europe is standing with you,” Raphael Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament, informed Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in a gathering broadcast stay on Fb.
“Our go to needs to be thought-about as an vital first step,” mentioned Glucksmann, who’s main the delegation. “However subsequent we want a really concrete agenda of high-level conferences and high-level concrete steps collectively to construct a a lot stronger EU-Taiwan partnership.”
[…] “We hope to determine a democratic alliance towards disinformation,” Tsai informed the delegation within the Presidential Workplace.
“We consider Taiwan and the EU can actually proceed strengthening our partnership in all domains.” [Source]
Nous sommes venus ici avec un message très easy et très clair Mme la Présidente @iingwen : Taïwan n’est pas seule. L’Europe est à vos côtés pour défendre la liberté, la démocratie et la dignité humaine. pic.twitter.com/SvQgeKy2pt
— Raphael Glucksmann (@rglucks1) November 4, 2021
A pleasure to satisfy with the European Parliament @EP_Democracy delegation to debate cooperation towards disinformation & cyberattacks. A stronger #Taiwan–#EU partnership will assist us higher tackle these widespread threats & shield our shared democratic values. pic.twitter.com/Gb8eh7mXHO
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) November 4, 2021
Taiwanská prezidentka @iingwen právě ve své uvítací řeči naší evropské delegace zmínila Českou republiku. Dvakrát. (Pozitivně. :)) Cítím velkou hrdost, že mezi všemi zeměmi s přátelským vztahem okay Taiwanu natolik svou činností vynikáme! pic.twitter.com/SfwHfMRqGp
— Markétka Gregorová (@MarketkaG) November 4, 2021
Incontro questa mattina con Tsai Ing-wen @iingwen Presidente della Repubblica di Cina (#Taiwan 🇹🇼), che ha fortemente apprezzato la visita della nostra Delegazione @EP_Democracy e la vicinanza delle istituzioni europee alla causa di Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/JOD8D4wmnf
— Marco Dreosto (@MarcoDreosto) November 4, 2021
Taiwan international minister Joseph Wu, in quarantine following Europe journey, meets nearly with first-ever EU parliament delegation to Taipei – who did not must quarantine. Indicators significance hooked up to their go to, and that Taiwan authorities not above its personal guidelines. Properly performed. https://t.co/yRDl0MiJHp
— Chris Horton 何貴森 (@heguisen) November 4, 2021
One main motive for the delegation’s go to was to be taught from Taiwan’s expertise combating disinformation. Within the face of large-scale, state-backed destabilization campaigns originating from China, particularly concentrating on Taiwanese media and elections, Taiwan has confirmed to be a outstanding instance for the West on shield its residents from disinformation with out overly limiting entry to data. The EU is eager to duplicate Taiwan’s methods because it faces related challenges. In June 2020, the EU publicly labeled China as a supply of disinformation. Lawrence Chung from the South China Morning Submit described the EU delegation’s want to be taught from Taiwan to strengthen its personal democracy:
“We got here right here to be taught from you, to be taught out of your capability for constructing such a vibrant democracy whereas being confronted with such a degree of threats and interference,” mentioned Glucksmann, a vocal critic of China, who had been barred by Beijing from visiting the mainland.
Glucksmann mentioned Europe can be dealing with “large-scale actions orchestrated by an authoritarian regime to vandalise European society and weaken its democracy”.
“Your success in constructing your democracy whereas being confronted with such threats is nice recommendation for us,” Glucksmann mentioned, including the delegation might be taught from Taiwan’s expertise in coping with this type of risk and see what techniques could be utilized at dwelling.
[…] For her half, Tsai expressed her appreciation for the group’s go to, saying Taiwan is hoping to determine a “democratic alliance towards disinformation” because the problem is a worldwide one.
[…] “Taiwan can be keen to share its expertise in combating disinformation with our European buddies. It will deepen our partnership and assist safeguard the free and democratic lifestyle we get pleasure from.” [Source]
“When democracy, rights and freedom are opposed on one aspect, authoritarian regimes and communism on the opposite, Europe should know which aspect to be on and should select the previous – the aspect of American allies, in protection of freedom”
My tackle EP mission to #Taiwan @POLITICOEurope. pic.twitter.com/ySjNcYpwo7
— Marco Dreosto (@MarcoDreosto) November 4, 2021
A heat #Taiwan🇹🇼 welcome to @Europarl_En‘s🇪🇺 #INGE delegation. We want the 7 MEPs a rewarding go to aimed toward getting on top of things on efforts to disarm disinformation, #DefendDemocracy & increase cyber resilience whereas selling an surroundings for freedom of expression & data. pic.twitter.com/8hnQivb1wE
— 外交部 Ministry of Overseas Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) November 3, 2021
Within the Diplomat, Staś Butler described the actual classes Taiwan can share with the EU’s IGNE:
“Dividing our society is the last word objective for [China’s] actions,” mentioned Wu Ming-hsuan, co-founder of Doublethink Lab. Wu’s group is considered one of a number of Taiwan-based teams aiming to categorise and counter the unfold of misinformation and disinformation in Taiwanese society.
“Fortuitously, I believe that the resistance of the civil society of Taiwan is sort of sturdy. There’s loads of motion being taken by civil society organizations like Taiwan FactCheck Middle, or different reality checking communities, volunteer teams, attempting to do extra,” Wu mentioned. Such teams are engaged on “not solely reality checks, however disseminate these reality verify outcomes to most of the people through the use of messenger apps, chatbots, or simply going on to the group.”
Alicja Bachulska, a China analyst on the Battle Research College in Warsaw, mentioned INGE can be taught loads from Taiwan. “For each geographic and historic causes, Taiwan’s ties with the PRC can function a case research in terms of understanding Beijing’s strategy in the direction of each direct and oblique coercion.”
In her view, INGE “ought to focus extra on understanding Taiwan’s resilience and likewise be taught extra about its anti-pandemic measures.” [Source]
#Taiwan🇹🇼 & #Europe are companions within the battle to #DefendDemocracy.
Happy to share methods on disarming disinformation with @rglucks1 & the @Europarl_EN🇪🇺 #INGE delegation.
Additionally happy to just accept the invitation for extra talks ASAP in Brussels —We’re #StrongerTogether! 🫂 pic.twitter.com/uDVOZNepU9
— Audrey Tang 唐鳳 (@audreyt) November 5, 2021
Particular Committee on Overseas Interference & Disinformation go to in Taiwan: assembly with Taiwanese NGOs, fact-checkers, and European assume tanks positioned in Taipei. pic.twitter.com/FJZJu8xH8p
— INGE Committee Press (@EP_Democracy) November 3, 2021
Focus Taiwan, Taiwan’s nationwide information company, highlighted the importance and development of such shut collaboration between Taiwan and the EU:
Commenting on the visiting delegation Wednesday, Government Director of the European Union Middle in Taiwan Marc Cheng (鄭家慶) mentioned that Taiwan-Europe relations have elevated in visibility over the previous few years attributable to visiting delegations to and from either side.
These delegations additionally replicate the truth that the 2 sides have grown nearer, and as subjects of mutual concern between Taiwan and Europe broaden in scope the connection will additional deepen over the subsequent few years, Cheng informed CNA.
[…] It’s extremely significant now that Taiwan and Europe are partaking in official exchanges, Cheng mentioned.
DPP lawmaker Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) mentioned that the visiting delegation exhibits the EP is unwilling to bow to stress from China, which has repeatedly warned European international locations to chorus from partaking with Taiwan. [Source]
A collection of exchanges in October set the stage for the EU’s official go to this week. On October 7, a small delegation of French senators led by Alain Richard, former French Protection Minister and head of the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, visited Taiwan for a five-day journey. Richard, on his third journey to Taiwan, was given a medal of honor by President Tsai; in his acceptance speech, he referred to as Taiwan a rustic. A couple of weeks later, on October 27, Taiwanese Overseas Minister Joseph Wu launched into a European tour, throughout which he met brazenly with lawmakers within the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Lithuania, and covertly with MEPs in Belgium, whereas securing dozens of memorandums of understanding in quite a lot of fields. On October 21, the EU parliament handed a non-binding decision to strengthen connections with Taiwan. The decision, handed in a landslide vote of 580-26, requires the EU to undertake sweeping adjustments: put together a bilateral funding settlement with Taiwan, change the identify of its consultant workplace in Taipei to the “European Union Workplace in Taiwan,” and grant Taiwan observer standing within the WHO and Interpol. It’s considered one of 12 resolutions pleasant to Taiwan that the EU handed this yr.
Europe-Taiwan ties are warming up *very* shortly. The MEP delegation in Taiwan this week comes lower than three weeks after the passing of EU parliament’s first-ever report on Taiwan.https://t.co/DsRZLR4WZS
— Chris Horton 何貴森 (@heguisen) November 3, 2021
The EU’s warming relations with Taiwan coincide with its deteriorating relations with China. In March, the EU imposed sanctions on 4 Chinese language officers for his or her function in alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang. Beijing responded instantly with counter-sanctions towards MEPs, nationwide lawmakers, students, assume tanks, and EU establishments. The EU Parliament, in flip, froze the ratification of the Complete Settlement on Funding with China. After Lithuania introduced in July that it might enable Taiwan to name its workplace within the capital of Vilnius the “Taiwanese Consultant Workplace in Lithuania,” China imposed commerce boundaries and each international locations recalled their ambassadors in a tense standoff. The EU rallied to Lithuania’s protection in an October 28 joint letter, with EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Charles Michel vowing to “push again” towards “threats, political stress, and coercive measures” from China.
Beijing has strongly denounced the EU’s overtures to Taiwan. The International Instances mocked European “political clowns” for his or her “lame roadshow” in Taipei and criticized “Taiwan’s secessionist regional chief Tsai Ing-wen.” Because the One-China coverage is more and more examined, the danger of navy backlash has grown considerably. In early October, the PLA despatched a record-breaking 148 plane into Taiwan’s Air Protection Zone inside a four-day interval, with as many as 56 incursions in a single day. Whereas the US has pushed for Taiwan’s official recognition on the UN, current Chinese language authorities bulletins urging residents to stockpile meals have anxious some onlookers that Beijing could also be making ready for struggle.
The EU faces a troublesome balancing act between supporting Taiwan and never enraging China. Greek MEP Georgios Kyrtsos acknowledged that their delegation go to didn’t improve Taiwan to the extent of a state, insisting, “We didn’t come right here to impress a state of affairs, we got here right here to ship a message that we’re supporting a democratic nation and creating our financial ties.” (Nevertheless, his selection of the phrase “nation” may undermine his level.) Andrew Rettman in EUobserver described an identical mindset amongst different members of the delegation who famous the crucial of cooperation with Taiwan:
Chatting with EUobserver from Taipei, Petras Auštrevičius, a Lithuanian liberal MEP on the delegation, mentioned if China was to impose contemporary sanctions due to the go to, it might be “an indication of rising Chinese language assertiveness and nationalism”.
“If we don’t assist democracies and don’t cooperate with them we’re merely doomed and shedding our political orientation. We aren’t altering the established order [on Taiwan], however speaking to like-minded companions,” he mentioned. [Source]
The European Parliament just isn’t upgrading Taiwan to the extent of a state, one of many visiting lawmakers mentioned.
However then he added: “We got here right here to ship a message that we’re supporting a democratic nation and creating our financial ties.”
“Nation”
https://t.co/OhOrryVYd3— Stuart Lau (@StuartKLau) November 4, 2021
In a selection of flags more likely to anger Beijing https://t.co/qcgxkqlBRO
— Stuart Lau (@StuartKLau) November 4, 2021
.”Pour @MarcJulienne , « plus la Chine va accentuer la pression sur l’île, plus l’UE va devoir se positionner », surtout si ses intérêts sont en jeu. @IFRI_asie https://t.co/WYxeCyHRRn
— Valerie Niquet (@VNiquet) November 5, 2021
1/6 Ni les menaces, ni les sanctions ne m’impressionneront. Jamais.
Et je continuerai, toujours, à me tenir aux côtés de ceux qui se battent pour la démocratie et les droits humains. Alors voilà : je pars à Taïwan. pic.twitter.com/TmKK7YiCOD
— Raphael Glucksmann (@rglucks1) November 2, 2021
Regardless of the EU’s hotter relations with Taiwan, China-E.U. cooperation on points corresponding to local weather change and inexperienced initiatives continues unabated. On Thursday, at a aspect occasion of the twenty sixth U.N. Local weather Change Convention of the Events (COP26), the Worldwide Platform on Sustainable Finance (co-chaired by the EU and China) revealed a set of requirements for outlining inexperienced initiatives. As Tang Ziyi and Wang Liwei reported for Caixin International, the requirements are designed to facilitate extra cross-border funding in inexperienced initiatives between China and EU nations:
It lists 80 financial actions throughout six industries which have been outlined as inexperienced and sustainable by each China and the EU. The six industries are agriculture, forestry and fishing; manufacturing; electrical energy, fuel, steam and air-con provide; building; water provide, and sewage, waste administration and remediation actions; in addition to transportation and storage. The taxonomy additionally provides standards for gauging a venture’s contribution to mitigating local weather change.
“It’s anticipated to assist China-EU inexperienced finance cooperation and mobilize cross-border local weather financing by reducing the inexperienced certification value for cross-border transactions,” the Individuals’s Financial institution of China (PBOC) mentioned in a press release Thursday. “It could possibly be used as a voluntary reference by market individuals when issuing or buying and selling inexperienced monetary merchandise.”
On the finish of 2020, China was the world’s largest issuer of inexperienced loans by excellent worth, and it had the second-largest marketplace for inexperienced bonds, in keeping with central financial institution knowledge. Nevertheless, that was partly attributable to its unfastened requirements for outlining inexperienced initiatives. [Source]
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