European Parliament Heavyweight Member: The new term parliament will continue to support Taiwan.

【Epoch Times June 27, 2024】European Parliament heavyweight member Reinhard Bütikofer is a major figure in Taiwan-Europe relations, and he gave an interview on the eve of his retirement. Will the changes in the political spectrum of the next European Parliament affect Taiwan’s visibility? He emphasized that supporting Taiwan has bipartisan support, and although progress on the Taiwan-EU bilateral agreement is slow, he stressed the need for patience.

Reinhard Bütikofer, a member of the German Green Party, served three terms as a Member of the European Parliament. In recent years, Taiwan’s relationship with the European Union has progressed rapidly, especially in the outgoing term of the European Parliament, where numerous pro-Taiwan documents were passed during the five-year term, with Bütikofer playing a key role. After retirement, he will serve as the German co-chair of the “German-Taiwan Civil Forum” dialogue platform initiated by the German Foreign Ministry.

Bütikofer is a stalwart supporter of Taiwan-Europe relations. For instance, the European Parliament strongly supported the negotiation of the Taiwan-EU Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA), but the previous European Commission remained indifferent. He took the initiative to commission three scholars to study and propose a “Supply Chain Resilience Agreement” impact assessment report between Taiwan and the EU, aiming to pave a new path for bilateral agreements.

For example, on February 26, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic mentioned in an interview with Chinese state media that “Taiwan belongs to China.” Bütikofer immediately criticized Vucic for cozying up to authoritarian governments on social media X, and the next day proposed in the European Parliament to include this issue in the annual Foreign and Security Policy Assessment Report, indicating serious concerns about Vucic’s apparent endorsement of China’s potential use of force to intimidate Taiwan.

As far-right parties increase their seats in the new term of the European Parliament, restraining the direction of EU political issues, should Taiwan be worried that the pro-Taiwan voices in the future Parliament may not be as strong as before? Bütikofer stated that the support for Taiwan and its democratic future by the outgoing Parliament is “very united.”

He said that aside from extreme left and right-wing factions, from progressive Green parties to conservative political parties, there has always been cooperation in supporting Taiwanese democracy and Taiwan’s aspirations for meaningful participation in international organizations, including the maintenance of stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Bütikofer said, “I believe that the new Parliament will continue in the same direction and persevere.”

It is generally believed that the far-right is less concerned about foreign affairs and there have been instances of being bought by the Chinese or Russian governments, but Bütikofer cautioned to observe deeply and not rely on stereotypes. He mentioned that some conservative individuals, especially in the “European Conservatives and Reformists” (ECR) group, also support the same Taiwan policy as him.

He emphasized, “While others may not be inclined to bridge the gap between extremes on other issues, we have collaborated on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, the South China Sea, and other Taiwan-related issues against China’s increasingly aggressive and oppressive policies.”

Bütikofer stressed that the Taiwan-EU bilateral agreement has faced significant resistance due to the implications of formal diplomatic relations, with opposition from the European Commission and some EU countries still strong. He emphasized, “Taiwan is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and China and Taiwan also have agreements (referring to ECFA). We have every right under the WTO to establish an agreement with Taiwan.”

When asked why there has been slow progress in recent years, and even the preparatory work for negotiations with the European Commission has been rejected, Bütikofer explained that he initially believed that the highest goal of improving the EU-Taiwan economic relationship was a bilateral investment agreement but later came to understand from multiple responses like “not needed” from companies that this was a dead-end. Hence, he urged for a more pragmatic approach.

Bütikofer mentioned the aforementioned “Supply Chain Resilience Agreement,” which has sparked some interest from the European Commission’s DG Trade. While Taiwan has responded enthusiastically, he is still waiting for Taiwan to propose corresponding research on similar themes to facilitate EU-Taiwan dialogue. He stressed the need to avoid complaints and instead be proactive, practical, and patient.

He pointed out that bringing together the 27 sovereign member states of the EU is not always easy. Each country has different relationships with China, some are less dependent on China, while others perceive a greater dependence. He emphasized the necessity for persuasion and cooperation.

He emphasized that the EU’s policy towards Taiwan is different from five years ago, citing the historic breakthrough of Germany including Taiwan in its Indo-Pacific strategy document in 2021 as an example of progress.

When asked about Cyprus, a small country’s opposition that can hinder progress in Taiwan-EU relations, Bütikofer explained that the EU believes that the unanimous decision-making process among member states is essential to ensure that the 27 sovereign countries, regardless of size, work together. He emphasized that for small countries, it’s unacceptable to be at the mercy of larger nations. He solemnly stated, “This is our rule of the game.”

Regarding enhancing Taiwan-Europe relations and what efforts Taiwan can make, Bütikofer mentioned that Taiwan is actively promoting increased investment in Europe and establishing bilateral relationships with countries such as the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Germany. He highlighted the need to balance the bilateral investment relationship that has been skewed for a long time, with Europe being Taiwan’s largest investor but Taiwan investing relatively little in Europe.

He believed that the “21st Century Trade Initiative” signed between Taiwan and the United States could serve as a model for future Taiwan-EU trade relations, providing a more flexible focus in addressing the challenges faced by Taiwan and the EU industries, such as food safety inspections and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures.

Bütikofer believed that Taiwan could also help Europe gain a better understanding of China. He mentioned that for decades, many European countries have relied too heavily on official “Confucius Institutes” established by China. “Now we understand more, we cannot necessarily trust those institutions,” but there is still a need to understand China better, including its culture, history, and language, while also learning from Taiwan’s technology. Progress is being made in many areas.

(Transferred from Central News Agency)