Despite Chinese threats, Germany and Taiwan say they want to further deepen bilateral collaboration because they share common values, visiting German lawmakers said on Thursday.
Klaus-Peter Willsch and five German parliamentary colleagues wrapped up their five-day official visit to Taiwan amid growing regional tensions with China.
"This country is based on the rule of law, a haven of freedom in Asia," Willsch told a news conference in Taipei before the delegation started their trip home.
In Taiwan, the cross-party Berlin-Taipei parliamentary friendship group met with President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Lai Ching-te, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and other Taiwanese lawmakers, along with representatives of technology companies and institutions focusing on security.
Willsch said the Bundestag has made it clear on several occasions that military threats by major countries against neighbors are unacceptable.
"This is not the way we understand international politics," Willsch said of Chinese saber-rattling against the democratic island republic.
Willsch said their visit, the first official delegation from Germany since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, shows that bilateral parliament exchange has resumed back to normality.
The Bundestag's Human Rights Committee plans to visit in late October, followed by a visit of young members of the Bundestag planned for next year, visiting German lawmaker Franz Schäffler said.
Visiting German lawmakers said they get to decide where they want to visit.
"We have been surprised that other states tell us where to go," Katrin Budde said, adding that the Bundestag can make its own decision, referring to the protest from Beijing against their visit.
Till Steffen said one of the lessons of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "that democracies should support each other."
Schäffler said the two sides should further deepen trade and economic ties, adding that both sides will further benefit from new pacts, such as a bilateral investment agreement or a free trade agreement.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and opposes any form of official contact between Taiwan and other countries.
