A group of Swiss lawmakers met with Taiwan’s president and said on Monday their government wants to deepen political ties, adding to foreign politicians’ rallies of support for the island’s self-ruled democracy in the face of Chinese intimidation.
US lawmakers, including then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have annoyed Beijing by visiting Taiwan, which China’s ruling Communist Party claims as part of its territory. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government responded by flying fighter jets and bombers near the island of 22 million people and firing missiles into the sea.
Swiss lawmakers have asked their government to “examine how Switzerland’s existing relationship with Taiwan can gradually be deepened in the interests of business, politics, science and culture,” said one of the lawmakers, Fabian Molina, during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen .
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Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. The island has never been part of the People’s Republic of China, but the Communist Party says it is obligated to join the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing says Tsai’s democratically elected government has no right to conduct foreign relations.
Switzerland, like all other European governments except Vatican City, maintains official relations with Beijing rather than Taiwan, but has extensive commercial and informal ties with the island, a center of high technology and a major trader.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, center right, speaks during a meeting with Swiss lawmakers in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)
“It is absolutely essential that existing differences and tensions between Taiwan and the PRC are resolved peacefully and through dialogue,” said Molina, a member of the Swiss Social Democratic Party. “Anything less would be unacceptable.”
Lawmakers from Britain and other countries have also visited Taiwan in support of its elected government. Pelosi in August became the most senior US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
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The Chinese embassy in Switzerland has warned lawmakers ahead of their trip to avoid “official contacts,” according to Swiss news.
The Swiss delegation also included lawmakers Nicolas Walder, Yves Nidegger, Mustafa Atici and Leonore Porchet.
Tsai told them that Taiwan and Switzerland are “like-minded partners” who value freedom and democracy.
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“I would like to thank all of you once again for your steadfast support for Taiwan,” he told lawmakers.
“Taiwan is at the forefront of defending democracy,” the president said. “Faced with the ever-expanding authoritarianism, we also ask our friends on the democratic front to continue deepening our partnership and work together to secure our way of life.”
