A German delegation arrives in Taiwan amid regional tension

TAIWAN, Oct. 2 (DPA/EP) –

A delegation of several German lawmakers arrived in Taiwan’s capital Taipei on Sunday amid rising tensions with China in the region.

The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry has indicated that this is the first official German delegation to visit Taiwan since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Upon the group’s arrival at Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Tah-ray Yui welcomed the Berlin-Taipei parliamentary friendship group in the German Federal Parliament.

“Vice Minister Yui warmly welcomed the first post-pandemic German delegation. We wish the chairman of the Bundestag Taiwan friendship group Klaus-Peter Willsch and the five vice-chairmen of their respective political parties a fruitful five-day visit.” , has published the ministerial portfolio on the social network Twitter.

The group will remain in the Asian country until Thursday. Willsch and his companions will meet with the island’s president, Tsai Ing Wen; the vice president, Lai Ching Te; Parliament Speaker You Si Kun; Foreign Minister Joseph Wy, and Taiwanese legislators and representatives from different institutions to address the issue of national security.

In addition, the delegation will visit a science park to boost bilateral trade in technology and supply chain security.

The German delegation is the second official visit by a European country — the first was France in early September — since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei in early August. Pelosi’s trip raised tensions with China, which has held large-scale military exercises.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the island to be part of its territory and opposes any form of official contact between Taiwan and other countries.