{"id":235613,"date":"2021-11-05T21:02:03","date_gmt":"2021-11-06T04:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=235613"},"modified":"2022-05-31T14:48:31","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T21:48:31","slug":"eu-sends-first-official-delegation-to-taiwan-supporting-democracy-countering-disinformation-on-the-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/11\/eu-sends-first-official-delegation-to-taiwan-supporting-democracy-countering-disinformation-on-the-agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Sends First Official Delegation to Taiwan: Supporting Democracy, Countering Disinformation on the Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week, the EU sent its <\/span>first official parliamentary delegation to Taiwan<\/span><\/a>. The delegation consisted of <\/span>seven members<\/span><\/a> of the European Parliament\u2019s Special Committee on Foreign Interference, also known as <\/span>IGNE<\/span><\/a>, along with six other lawmakers hailing from a range of political parties within the European Parliament. In what Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called a \u201c<\/span>highly significant<\/span><\/a>\u201d three-day visit, the EU delegation praised Taiwan\u2019s thriving democracy and met with various Taiwanese government and civil society stakeholders to <\/span>learn best practices for combating disinformation<\/span><\/a>. Over the past few months, the EU has shifted towards more comprehensive relations with Taiwan, concurrent with China\u2019s increasing threats against both EU member states and the island it considers its own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The delegation\u2019s reception included <\/span>meetings<\/span><\/a> with Premier Su Tseng-chang and Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Tseng on Wednesday, President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday, and Digital Minister Audrey Tang on Friday. Both sides projected a message of unity, beginning with Taiwanese airline EVA Air shuttling the EU delegation from Paris to Taipei. The delegation called Taiwan a \u201c<\/span>key partner and democratic ally<\/span><\/a>.\u201d Raphael Glucksmann, the French MEP leading the delegation and chairperson of IGNE, described Taiwan\u2019s democracy as a \u201c<\/span>treasure<\/span><\/a>\u201d that must be protected. Sarah Wu at Reuters reported on <\/span>Glucksmann and President Tsai\u2019s solidarity and call for greater cooperation<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

“We came here with a very simple, very clear message: You are not alone. Europe is standing with you,” Raphael Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament, told Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in a meeting broadcast live on Facebook.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Our visit should be considered as an important first step,” said Glucksmann, who is leading the delegation. “But next we need a very concrete agenda of high-level meetings and high-level concrete steps together to build a much stronger EU-Taiwan partnership.”<\/span><\/p>\n

[\u2026] “We hope to establish a democratic alliance against disinformation,” Tsai told the delegation in the Presidential Office.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We believe Taiwan and the EU can certainly continue strengthening our partnership in all domains.” [<\/span>Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Nous sommes venus ici avec un message tr\u00e8s simple et tr\u00e8s clair Mme la Pr\u00e9sidente\u00a0@iingwen<\/a> : Ta\u00efwan n\u2019est pas seule. L'Europe est \u00e0 vos c\u00f4t\u00e9s pour d\u00e9fendre la libert\u00e9, la d\u00e9mocratie et la dignit\u00e9 humaine. pic.twitter.com\/SvQgeKy2pt<\/a><\/p>\n

— Raphael Glucksmann (@rglucks1) November 4, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n