Parliamentary questions
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1599/99
by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Council
(8 September 1999)

Subject: Increasingly threatening attitude of the People's Republic of China to Taiwan

For some time now, the People's Republic of China has been adopting an increasingly threatening policy towards the Republic of China (Taiwan), the only obvious result of which has been an alarming rise in tension in South East Asia. Beijing has now progressed from threatening Taiwan with the prospect of technological warfare to full-scale escalation of military and militaristic activities, which could ultimately push the People's Republic beyond the point of no return.

Against this background, the European Union is pressing on with its policy of so-called "critical dialogue" with Beijing, which consists in practice of giving the Chinese Communist authorities "carte blanche" in their aggressive policy towards Taiwan, their infringement of human rights inside their own territory and their brutal oppression of the Tibetan, Mongol and Uygur peoples who live, against their will, inside the confines of the People's Republic.

Does the Council agree that the so-called policy of critical dialogue pursued hitherto by the EU in relation to the People's Republic in effect encourages the aggressive, militaristic and oppressive tendencies of the Chinese Communist regime? Does the Council not regard as legitimate the Republic of China's present wish to refuse to be incorporated in a state based on the negation of the rule of law and democracy? Consequently, does the Council agree that it should support Taiwan's request to be reintegrated into the United Nations and recognised in law as a sovereign state?

P-1599/99EN
Reply
(22 October 1999)

The Honorable Member will be aware that the EU made a statement on 20 July which noted with concern developments in July across the Taiwan Straits. The statement also recalled EU support for the principle of "one China" while underlining the necessity of resolving the question of Taiwan peacefully through constructive dialogue. The EU continues to hope that both sides will make every effort to clarify misunderstandings and to maintain constructive dialogue. Both sides should avoid taking steps or making statements which increase tension. Approach is shared by the international community in general.

The EU's aims remain: to intensify relations with China and to support its integration into the world economy, thereby enabling it also to support economic and social reform and to promote a more open society, the rule of law and respect for internationally recognized human rights.

The political dialogue, including the human rights dialogue which was resumed in October 1997, is intended to promote these objectives.

Instant results cannot be expected, but persistent and patient effort exercised by the EU, as well as others through dialogue and by other means, are steadily spreading also in China recognition of the universal values which we espouse. That is why the EU has insisted that the the EU dialogue should be kept comprehensive and substantial with no subjects excluded a priori. Moreover, the EU has made it clear that we expect our dialogue on human rights to lead, not just to Chinese acknowledgement of international commitments, but also to concrete improvements in the human rights situation in China.