Taiwan Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao’s Landmark Speech at the European Parliament
Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao is back from a high-profile trip to Europe. There, she spoke at a summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, or IPAC, a forum of lawmakers concerned about China’s threats to human rights and the rules-based global order.
The location of the meeting—inside the European Parliament—has special significance. No EU member recognizes Taiwan. And so, Hsiao’s address in the European Parliament marks the first time any ranking Taiwanese statesperson has been able to speak in a European legislature. Hsiao’s message was one of working towards democracy’s future.
Bi-khim Hsiao (TAIWAN VICE PRESIDENT):
We don’t just want to survive. We want democracies to thrive. We’re not just defending what we have but building what we want the future to look like.
On arrival home, she said Taiwan deserves its place in the global order.
Bi-khim Hsiao (TAIWAN VICE PRESIDENT):
Taiwan’s people ought to have a chance to take part in the international community like the rest of the world. The efforts and perseverance of everyone have let us forge our own path step by step among difficulties and challenges that have never let up.
The US has welcomed Hsiao’s speech, with the state department saying it backs Taiwan’s meaningful inclusion in international organizations.
But China, which claims Taiwan and seeks to keep it diplomatically isolated, is not happy. Its EU commission responded by saying that Beijing strongly opposes Hsiao’s speech.
President Lai Ching-te has thanked IPAC for inviting Hsiao to showcase Taiwan’s values and convictions. But the vice president isn’t the only political figure from Taiwan engaging with Europe.
Former President Tsai Ing-wen is headed to Berlin, where she’ll address this year’s Berlin Freedom Conference on Monday.
Tsai Ing-wen (FORMER TAIWAN PRESIDENT):
Some analysts say recent engagement with Europe, topped with Hsiao’s speech at the European Parliament, is not a coincidence. This is especially given China’s ties with Russia amid the Ukraine War and dumping of Chinese goods on the European market.
Ding Shuh-fan (NATIONAL CHENGCHI UNIVERSITY):
When [Europe] no longer has illusions about China they'll use very practical ways of dealing with China relations. All this has opened an opportunity in our ties with Europe.
This may have its limits: the Vatican is still the only European state to maintain full diplomatic ties with Taiwan. But some analysts see signs of shifting European attitudes towards Beijing that Taiwan can benefit from if it takes the chance.
Devin Tsai and John Van Trieste for TaiwanPlus.
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