European Parliament VP urges renewed China-Taiwan dialogue

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer has met with Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen and called for China to open a “mutual and respectful dialogue” with the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Nicola Beer on Wednesday emphasized Taiwan’s importance “on a global scale” and called for the island to be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly and for the European Union to upgrade its representation in Taipei. She reaffirmed support for Taiwan’s right to determine its own future amid Chinese threats to annex the island by force, saying Beijing should “refrain from its threatening gestures” and not destroy the island’s prosperity.