Taiwan’s Tsai calls on Europe to embrace trade, promote democracy | Worldwide Trade

President Tsai Ing-wen told French parliamentarians’ ‘allies of democracy’ that they should work together for peace and stability.

Taiwan hopes to advance trade talks with the European Union next year when France will take over the bloc, and democracy must work together in the face of authoritarian rule, President Tsai Ing-wen told French parliamentarians.

Speaking to a group of French councilors who visited his office in Taipei, Tsai on Thursday said France would take over the EU leadership next year.

“We hope that the EU, under the auspices of France, can continue to strengthen Taiwan-EU negotiations on bilateral relations, or the BIA, to open a new alliance between Taiwan and the EU,” he said.

Taiwan is determined to strengthen its ties with other Western democracies as it progresses pressure from Chinese military and ambassadors to accept Chinese rule on the island.

The EU included Taiwan in the list of trade partners to ratify the bilateral agreement in 2015, the year before Tsai became Taiwan’s president, but has never held talks with Taipei on the issue.

The EU in September pledged to seek trade cooperation with Taiwan, part of its strategy to boost its Indo-Pacific presence and counter China’s strong rise.

Tsai, who met with a group led by the leader of the French-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group François de Rugy, did not directly mention China, but called on democracies to work together.

“In the face of ever-increasing globalization and the spread of authoritarian rule, democratic allies must, in particular, work together harmoniously,” he said.

“Taiwan is fulfilling its international obligations and looks forward to working with France and the EU with similar ideas to contribute significantly to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

The visit to France comes at a time when China is embroiled in a bitter feud with an EU member in Lithuania over a Baltic proposal to allow Taiwan to open an embassy there.

The Lithuanian ambassador to China left the country on Wednesday in a hurry to break up another relationship.