Brussels, March 22 (CNA) The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday adopted a report on the security challenges facing the union in the Indo-Pacific in which it recognizes Taiwan as a key partner and democratic ally in the region.
The report, which was approved by the committee with 56 votes in favor, eight against and 12 abstentions, notes that the Indo-Pacific region contains 60 percent of the world's population and is home to increasingly important political, trade and security partners for the EU.
According to a draft of the report provided by the Parliament to CNA, China's military build-up and its activities in the East and South China seas, including its "deliberate and repetitive violations of Taiwan's air defense zone," have led to rising tensions in the region.
As the security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific directly impact the EU's strategic interests, the union should work closely in the region with other liberal democracies and historical allies, including NATO, the U.S. and the U.K., the report says.
In the draft report, the EU affirms that it "considers Taiwan as a key partner and democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific" and that it strongly supports Taiwan's "democratic path."
The EU also "welcomes the positive role Taiwan plays in fostering peace and security in the Indo-Pacific," and reiterates its support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations, according to the report.
In light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU also "refutes any attempt by Chinese propaganda" to draw similarities between Ukraine and the security situation of Taiwan, as the situations "differ significantly," the report says.
A spokesperson for the EU Parliament told CNA that it had currently only released the draft version of the report, and the official text adopted on Tuesday would be made public in the coming days, once it had been translated into the languages of all EU member states.
Sourcese:The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC )
