We the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) were dismayed to learn of President of France’s remarks made aboard COTAM Unité on 9th April, specifically his contention that Europe should avoid being “caught up in conflicts which are not ours” – a clear reference to escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
With Beijing ramping up military exercises in the South China Sea, and showing continuing support for Russian aggression in Ukraine, this is the worst possible moment to send a signal of indifference over Taiwan. President Macron’s ill-judged remarks not only disregard the vital place of Taiwan in the global economy, but undermine the decades-long commitment of the international community to maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait. History is a harsh judge of past efforts to appease authoritarians. Unfortunately the President shows little sign of having learned the lessons of the past.
It should be emphasised that the President’s words are severely out of step with the feeling across Europe’s legislatures and beyond. The thirty legislatures in the IPAC network are united in the unshakable belief that any unilateral attempt to change the status quo must be resisted, and the democratic voice of the Taiwanese people must be respected.
Monsieur le Président, you do not speak for Europe. IPAC will work to ensure that your remarks serve as a wake-up call to democratic governments to do everything possible to ensure that Beijing’s aggressive stance towards Taiwan receives the hostile reception it deserves from the international community.
Signed:
Senator André Gattolin, France
Senator Olivier Cadic, France
Joar Forssell MP, Sweden
Elisabet Lann, Sweden
Dovilė Šakalienė MP, Lithuania
Žygimantas Pavilionis MP, Lithuania
Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, European Union
Miriam Lexmann MEP, European Union
David Lega MEP, European Union
Michael Brand MdB, Germany
Boris Mijatović MdB, Germany
Oleksandr Merezhko, Ukraine
Mykola Kniazhytskyi, Ukraine
Fatmir Mediu MP, Albania
Alexandru Muraru MP, Romania
Cătălin Teniță MP, Romania
Tom van der Lee MP, The Netherlands
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma MP, The Netherlands
Rep. Samuel Cogolati, Belgium
Fabian Molina MP, Switzerland
Antonio Miloshoski, North Macedonia
Senator Pavel Fischer, Czechia
Eva Decroix, Czechia
Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, United Kingdom
Judith Cummins MP, United Kingdom
Carolyn Harris MP, United Kingdom
Bob Seely MP, United Kingdom
Damian Green MP, United Kingdom
Craig Mackinlay MP, United Kingdom
Baroness Natalie Bennett, United Kingdom
Tim Loughton MP, United Kingdom
Sarah Champion MP, United Kingdom
Tom Randall MP, United Kingdom
Geraint Davies MP, United Kingdom
Lord James Bethell, United Kingdom
Chris Bryant MP, United Kingdom
Senator James Paterson, Australia
Simon O’Connor MP, New Zealand
