TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwanese envoy to Ireland Tzu-Pao Yang (楊å 葆) urged Dublin to improve relations with Taipei as part of the closer relations between the EU and Taiwan.
In an interview with Irish online publication The Journal, Yang noted that the EU’s relations with Taiwan have “improved rapidly” in recent years and said he hoped Ireland could “catch up. delay”. He suggested that the first step be to reopen the country’s representative office in Taipei.
The Institute for Trade and Investment, which opened in 1989, was responsible for consular affairs and trade promotion, among other responsibilities. However, it closed in 2012 due to austerity measures, according to The Journal.
Yang said Ireland currently has “all of their eggs in one basket” when it comes to China. He recognized the importance of maintaining friendly relations with China, but questioned why Ireland could not have “better relations with Taiwan under the one-China policy”.
“Taiwan is a different country,†he said.
The European Parliament last month adopted a report urging the EU to do more to combat tensions between the two shores and protect Taiwanese democracy. However, during the voting process, Southern Ireland MEP Mick Wallace opposed the report and tweeted a video statement stating that Taiwan is part of China.
Yang said Wallace’s comments were “fake news” and contributed to a false narrative about Taiwan’s past. He said Beijing had never controlled Taiwan, adding that although UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 expelled Taiwan from the UN, it does not recognize China’s claim to the island country.