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Visiting French senator expresses concern over Indo-Pacific stability

ROC Central News Agency

06/10/2022 09:46 PM

Taipei, June 10 (CNA) Visiting French Senator Joël Guerriau said Friday that France is increasingly concerned about the stability of the Indo-Pacific region following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and does not wish to see the crisis in that eastern European nation repeated in Taiwan.

Guerriau, who is leading a delegation to Taiwan from June 8-13, said the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine has affected the entire world.

France is increasingly concerned about the stability of the Indo-Pacific and alarmed by China's growing influence in the region, said Guerriau, who is vice chairman of the French Senate's Taiwan Friendship Group and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and the Armed Forces.

In view of Russian aggression against Ukraine, France does not wish to see anything similar unfold in Taiwan, especially as the island nation plays a crucial role in global semiconductor supply, Guerriau said.

That is why he led a delegation to Taipei, Guerriau said, adding that the current visit shows that France values its relationship with Taiwan.

While France is not antagonistic toward China and the two countries continue to promote bilateral ties, Paris wants to work toward a more peaceful world, Guerriau said.

The Russian invasion has prompted France to invest more on its security and national defense, but promoting peace around the world requires the unity of Europe, he added.

Similarly, French Senator Vincent Éblé noted that the situation in the Indo-Pacific is "essential" to world peace, adding that Taiwan, as part of the region and geographically close to China, faces a unique geopolitical situation.

Meanwhile, Senator Dany Wattebled, said both Taiwan and France are democratic countries and the two could work together to defend democratic values in addition to their continued collaboration on trade and cultural affairs.

The French delegation -- the third French parliamentarian group to visit Taiwan in just one year -- has met with several top Taiwanese officials over the past few days, including Legislative Yuan speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) earlier on Friday.

During their meeting, You said both Taiwan and France embrace freedom and respect human rights, adding that he looks forward to seeing more exchanges between the two nations in the future.

The speaker also said democratic countries around the world should unite to preserve freedom and democracy while jointly opposing the expansion of authoritarianism.

(By Fan Cheng-hsiang and Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/AW