The Chair of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group, Michael Gahler, and two Vice-Chairs from mainstream political groups, including Andrey Kovatchev and Dominique Riquet, promptly issued a statement on 13 January 2024, congratulating the citizens of Taiwan on the successful conduct of transparent and fair elections and extending best wishes for a successful tenure for President-elect Lai Ching-te. We express our gratitude to the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group for their longstanding steadfast support of Taiwan's democracy.
The statement first congratulates Taiwan on the successful completion of the presidential election, highlighting the transparency and fairness demonstrated throughout the electoral process, which not only establishes Taiwan as a beacon of democracy in Asia but also set a global standard. Chair Gahler and the two Vice-Chairs of the Friendship Group also extend their congratulations to President-elect Lai Ching-te for being democratically elected as the President of Taiwan, obtaining the mandate to serve and represent the Taiwanese people. They also express their best wishes for Taiwan's continued success and prosperity under President Lai's leadership. At the same time, they extend congratulations to all who have been elected or re-elected to the Legislative Yuan, wishing them success in their parliamentary work.
The statement underscores the European Parliament's unwavering support for democratic Taiwan and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognising Taiwan as an invaluable like-minded partner. The recent adoption of reports and resolutions by the European Parliament, notably the "EU-Taiwan Trade and Investment Relations" resolution, reflects the EU's commitment to increase cooperation with Taiwan through formal bilateral agreements. It expresses the hope that the bilateral relationship and cooperation between the EU and Taiwan will continue to thrive on the solid foundation of these resolutions and enduring friendship.
We express our gratitude to the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group for their support of Taiwan’s democracy and their well-wishes for Taiwan.
