European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer met with Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday and called for China to open a “mutual and respectful dialogue” with the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Beer emphasized Taiwan's importance “on a global scale” and called for the island to be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly and for the European Union to upgrade its representation in Taipei.
She reaffirmed support for Taiwan's right to determine its own future amid Chinese threats to annex the island by force, saying Beijing should “refrain from its threatening gestures” and not destroy the island's prosperity. “Taiwan deserves to play this role as a global, strategic, responsible and reliable international partner to the full,” Beer told Tsai.
“Only the Taiwanese people can decide on Taiwanese future," Beer said, adding that China should “take an active and constructive part in maintaining and securing the current status quo based on mutual and respectful dialogue."