Swiss lawmakers visit Taiwan, say they want closer ties

LTC Eugene Chu
"TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A group of Swiss lawmakers met with Taiwan’s president and said Monday their government wants to deepen political relations, adding to shows of support by foreign politicians for the self-ruled island democracy in the face of Chinese intimidation.

U.S. legislators including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have irked Beijing by visiting Taiwan, which China’s ruling Communist Party claims as part of its territory. The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping has responded by flying fighter jets and bombers near the island of 22 million people and firing missiles into the sea.

Swiss lawmakers have told their government to “examine how Switzerland’s existing relations with Taiwan can be gradually deepened in the interests of business, politics, science and culture,” said one of the legislators, Fabian Molina, during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. The island never has been part of the People’s Republic of China, but the Communist Party says it is obligated to unite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing says Tsai’s democratically elected government has no right to conduct foreign relations.

Switzerland, like all other European governments except Vatican City, has official relations with Beijing instead of Taiwan but has extensive commercial and informal ties with the island, a high-tech center and major trader."...