Taipei, – European lawmakers of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) called for a tougher approach toward China on Thursday during their third day of a visit to Taiwan.
“A realistic China policy must be willing to be tough.
“And I think we will get there,’’ Reinhard Bütikofer of the German Greens told a news conference.”
The comment came just one day before German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz’s visit to Beijing.
The delegation of European lawmakers, led by Bütikofer, exchanged views with Taiwanese counterparts on Wednesday and were received by President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday.
Tsai described the first-ever IPAC visit to Taiwan as “extraordinarily meaningful.’’
IPAC is an international cross-party group of lawmakers from 29 countries that aimed to deepen collaboration on issues involving China.
“IPAC has helped coordinate democratic countries to respond to the growing challenges of authoritarian China,’’ Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said.
Taiwan is a self-governing democracy and had long seen itself as an independent. Beijing rejects official contact between countries and Taiwan as it regarded the democratic island republic as part of China.
Tensions had intensified in recent months.
The conflict over Taiwan would also play a role in Scholz’s talks in Beijing.
Bütikofer said Scholz’s visit to China was controversial because “a lot of people are afraid that the chancellor will not do and say what should be done and said in Beijing.’’ (dpa/NAN)
