Before returning to China on the 10th, the delegation of the Friendship Group of the Swiss Federal Parliament held a press conference to explain the exchange results of this trip.

From left to right: Mustafa Atici, Léonore Porchet, Fabian Molina, Nicolas Walder, and Yves Nidegger, Members of the Swiss Federal Chamber of Deputies (National Chamber).

(Photo by reporter Yang Chengyu)

[Reporter Yang Chengyu/Taipei Report] The delegation of the Friendship Group of the Swiss Federal Parliament concluded its six-day visit to Taiwan on the 10th, and held a press conference to share the results of the trip before returning home.

Members of Parliament bluntly said that the trip was fruitful and emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among democracies around the world.

The Swiss ambassador to the United Nations recently stated that the Swiss delegation to the United Nations is very serious about the possibility of China launching an attack on Taiwan.

Fabian Molina, chairman of the Taiwan Friendship Group, said bluntly that this is a very positive signal, showing that the Swiss government will be fully prepared for this.

For Switzerland, this sentence sends a very strong message.

Molina said that they all deeply felt the enthusiasm of Taiwan during this trip. Although they also discussed issues of disagreement with each other, the atmosphere seemed to be conducted under the deep friendship and understanding between people who love democracy.

Nicolas Walder, co-chairman of the Taiwan Friendship Group, said that freedom, democracy, and an open society were constantly mentioned during this trip. This is indeed a part of Taiwanese identity, and Switzerland agrees with democracy and a democratic system In this regard, he saw the intersection of Ruitai and Taiwan, and this is very important.

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Molina said that during this trip, he had many discussions with Taiwan on how to improve bilateral relations, and will deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, innovation, culture, education, and advanced technology.

He emphasized that both countries lack natural resources but are innovative.

Switzerland must cooperate more closely with like-minded democracies, which is also in the mutual interest of Switzerland and Taiwan.

Wade also mentioned that in order for Taiwan to integrate more into the international community, including participating in the WHO or international conferences on climate change, Switzerland can also assist in this regard.

Many congressmen visiting Taiwan have asked the government to submit a report on how to deepen the relationship between Switzerland and Taiwan. Wade revealed that the report will be released this summer at the latest.

And through on-the-spot visits, they will be able to cite more examples as evidence, and they will be able to ask the government to deepen and strengthen relations with Taiwan.

Molina said that the results of this trip will be brought back to Switzerland for discussion with the government.

Switzerland has served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the first time this year. Its term is two years. Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas Gürber recently told the media that the Swiss delegation to the United Nations takes the possibility of China’s attack on Taiwan very seriously. The Berne authorities will also decide on possible sanctions under full balance.

In this regard, Molina said that although they cannot speak on behalf of the government, this is a very positive signal, showing that the Swiss government will be fully prepared to deal with possible military conflicts in this region.

For Switzerland, this sentence sends a very strong message.

Members of Congress have also repeatedly stressed that differences between Taiwan and China must be resolved through peaceful means.

Molina mentioned that this trip did exchange views with Taiwan on China's possible threat of aggression, and the main purpose was to prevent the outbreak of military conflict between the two sides.

Switzerland's civil defense system is well-known far and wide. Is there anything Taiwan can refer to?

In this regard, Moliner said frankly that this is a sensitive issue because it may involve diplomatic relations and the "neutrality" that Switzerland follows.

Therefore, they will not offer advice on this, but they want to emphasize that they are focused on peace during this trip, hoping to prevent any military conflict between China and Taiwan.

Regarding whether the "one-China" policy pursued by Switzerland should be adjusted, Molina said bluntly that China promotes the "one-China principle" in many countries, and they all believe that Switzerland's policy is too close to the "one-China principle".

But in fact, while adhering to the "one China" policy, Switzerland and Taiwan still have a lot of space and potential for cooperation, which is also their goal.

Swiss media recently reported that the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs revised its description of its relationship with Taiwan, deleting words such as "Taiwan is part of China".

On October 17 last year, Molina and Wade jointly proposed a motion in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Swiss House of Commons, calling for strengthening the cooperative relationship between the House of Representatives and the Chinese Legislative Yuan, which was passed by a majority of the committee.

The resolution authorizes the lower house to strengthen ties with Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, a proposal that most lawmakers believe fits with the concept of congressional diplomacy.

Molina revealed yesterday that the Plenary Session of the House of Commons will vote on this motion within a month, and they are very confident that it will be passed with the support of a majority, which will help expand bilateral relations and lay the foundation for future cooperation.

When asked about meeting the Chinese ambassador to Switzerland, what experience can you share with him during this trip?

Molina said bluntly, "What we want to say is very simple." Taiwan is a successful place and has a vibrant democracy. These should continue to be maintained, and the people of Taiwan have the right to decide the way of life they want.

On this trip, they specially visited Quemoy, the front line of the former battlefield. Green Party MP Léonore Porchet shared that this allowed them to understand the different ways of life as neighbors to China. contribute to a deeper understanding of the differences among the different political parties in Taiwan.