Taiwan: arrival of a French senatorial delegation
Alain Richard, president of the France-Taiwan Senate friendship group (illustrative image).
© AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
A delegation of four French senators landed this Wednesday, October 6 in the morning in Taiwan, an autonomous and democratic archipelago of 23 million inhabitants claimed by Beijing.
Parliamentarians will stay there until next Sunday.
The visit, however usual, was the subject of strong criticism from the Chinese Embassy in France.
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With our correspondent in Taipei,
Adrien Simorre
"
Taking the links between Taiwan and France to new heights
" is the objective displayed by the Taiwanese government for this five-day visit by four French senators.
Led by Alain Richard, former Minister of Defense, the delegation is due in particular to meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen, Beijing's pet peeve because of her categorical rejection of Chinese annexation.
Deputy Minister Tseng extended the warmest of welcomes to the delegation from the # France🇫🇷- # Taiwan🇹🇼 Friendship Group of the French @Senat.
We wish Alain Richard, @Max_Brisson, @ElseJoseph, @OlivierCadic & Judith Bout a rewarding visit aimed at taking 2-way ties to new heights.
pic.twitter.com/TkTDOJ2w3C
- 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) October 5, 2021
Many pressures from China
Cautious, the senators will however avoid the official celebrations of the national day of Taiwan, planned this weekend in Taipei.
This visit is being held despite the many pressures from China.
Earlier this year, the Chinese Embassy in France even sent a letter to Senator Alain Richard asking him to reconsider his visit.
"
The senator remained firm and did not give in to intimidation from China,
" the Taiwanese foreign ministry said yesterday in a statement.
Unprecedented threats, while these arrivals of French parliamentarians have taken place almost every year for more than forty years.
The visit of the senators also takes place in the midst of Beijing's show of force in the Taiwan Strait, where the People's Army has stepped up military maneuvers in recent days.
"
An increasingly aggressive posture
"
"
China is adopting
[towards Taiwan]
an increasingly aggressive posture
", lamented the Taiwanese president yesterday in the columns of
Foreign Affairs
magazine
,
adding that "
the fall of Taiwan would be catastrophic
" because it "would
mean that authoritarianism has taken hold. the upper hand over democratic values
”.
A subject that will undoubtedly be at the heart of discussions with French senators.
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