Beijing [China]: Amid China’s growing military threat to Taiwan, Europe has extended its hand to the democratic island. This came as the European parliament sent its first-ever formal delegation to visit the island, defying Beijing’s threats of retaliation, The New York Times reported. “We came here with a very simple, clear message; you are not alone,” Raphael Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament and the leader of the delegation, told Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen adding that “Europe is standing with you.” This came as China’s increasingly assertive brand of authoritarianism under the Chinese Communist Party has spread distrust among the countries, The New York Times reported. Following the bid, the European lawmakers have also blocked the investment agreement with China citing the human rights violations that the Chinese Communist Party has been doing in the country. The agreement was a long-dormant deal that China and Europe made for companies to operate on each other’s territory, scoring what was briefly seen as a geopolitical victory for Beijing, The New York Times reported. Not just Europe but countries from all the continents have criticized China for its human rights abuse of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, reported The HK Post. The European Parliament has also backed a resolution calling for stronger ties with Taiwan, which it described as a partner and its democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific, The New York Times reported. For the first time in history, in a very significant way, there has been a subtle but noticeable shift in European perceptions of Taiwan,” said Janka Oertel, Director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “There has been a clear realization that the situation in Taiwan is of concern to Europeans not only from a values perspective but from the perspective of regional security architecture,” the director added. This came as Beijing claims sovereignty over the democratic island and has increased military incursions in Taiwan. Taiwan is a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. Despite being governed separately for more than seven decades, China has threatened that”Taiwan’s independence” means war. On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. In other recent developments, the French National Assembly will also vote on a resolution that is aimed at supporting Taipei’s participation in international forums, Taiwan News reported.
