November 8, 2015
No. 249
With regard to President Ma Ying-jeou’s meeting with mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Singapore on November 7, a spokesperson for High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini made the following statement, that same day, welcoming the development on behalf of the EU:
“Saturday's first-ever meeting in Singapore between the leaders from the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an encouraging step, demonstrating the level of trust that has been built through the ongoing process of rapprochement. The EU looks forward to the continuation of the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, to the benefit of the people on both sides of the Strait.”
The EU has long paid close attention to cross-strait relations, as well as developments in the East Asia region. Since President Ma took office in 2008, the EU and the European Parliament have, respectively, issued 19 statements and passed nine resolutions friendly to Taiwan. This latest statement on the meeting of the leaders from the two sides is consistent with the EU position of encouraging peaceful developments across the Taiwan Strait, and proves that progress in cross-strait ties is beneficial to regional peace and stability, and in the interests of the EU and its member states. The Republic of China welcomes the EU statement. (E)