Changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force is “unacceptable,” visiting German parliamentarian and Free Democratic Party (FDP) chief whip Johannes Vogel said Tuesday during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (???) in Taipei.
Vogel, who arrived with a parliamentarian delegation in Taiwan on Monday, said that while the German Bundestag supported the “One China” policy, he and his colleagues “believe that any change of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait can only be achieved by mutual agreement.”
“Any attempt to change the status quo by force, or threatening to do it by force, is unacceptable,” said Vogel, clearly referring to China, which has insisted on unification with Taiwan, by force if necessary.
He described the delegation’s visit to Taiwan as “a gesture of support and solidarity against any threatening with military aggression.”
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chairperson of the Bundestag’s defense committee, added: “We stand close together as democratic states.”
Describing the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as a “wake-up call” for Europe and the world, Strack-Zimmermann said the delegation wished to make the case that “we want to live in peace and freedom.”
Meanwhile, Tsai expressed hope that Taiwan, Germany and other democratic partners would “jointly maintain the regional order and prosperity” amid authoritarian expansion.
At the same time, Tsai was optimistic that the partnership between Taiwan and German would continue to deepen based on their multifaceted cooperation on such issues as energy transition, financial supervision and transitional justice.
The parliamentarian delegation, led by Vogel and Strack-Zimmermann, arrived in Taiwan on Monday for a four-day visit.
The 10-parliamentarian delegation also includes Renata Alt, head of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, and Ulrich Lechte, a spokesperson for the FDP parliamentary group.
In addition to meeting with Tsai, the group on Monday met with Premier Su Tseng-chang (???) and visited the Legislature to interact with lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties.
Before its departure on Jan. 12, the group will also meet with National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo (???), Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (???), and representatives from human rights organizations and think tanks, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This is the first German delegation to travel to Taiwan this year and the third from the German Bundestag since October 2022, the ministry said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel