In a fruitful exchange underscoring the vibrancy of Taiwan's democratic ethos, the Chairman of Taiwan People's Party(TPP), Ko Wen-je, convened with the delegation from the European Green Party, led by Reinhard Bütikofer, chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with People's Republic of China (D-CN) and a staunch advocate for Taiwan. This visit accentuated a mutual desire to deepen understanding of Taiwan's democratic mechanisms and expose themselves to the perspectives of different parties. Upon the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Bütikofer presented Dr. Ko with gifts - a tote bag with words of solidarity for Hong Kong and a porcelain German bear. This gesture accentuated the shared values of staying undaunted in the face of power and unwavering in support of human rights.

Dr. Ko expressed profound gratitude for the European Green Party's enduring support and acknowledged Taiwan's geopolitical predicament, voicing eagerness to gather European insights that could bolster Taiwan's stance. He also highlighted the need for Taiwan to diversify its focus beyond the United States, noting the European Union's significant investment footprint in Taiwan, which accounts for 25% of foreign direct investments, and called for increased Taiwanese investments in Europe.

Mr. Bütikofer outlined three objectives for the visit: demonstrating solidarity with democratic allies, gaining first hand insights into Taiwan's situation, and exploring avenues for enhancing Taiwan-Europe partnerships. He also highlighted a shift in the EU's China policy, emphasizing a consensus on countering China's unfair trade practices and exploring economic cooperation in green energy, particularly offshore wind power, and reinforcing supply chain resilience through a proposed “EU-Taiwan Resilient Supply Chains Agreement.”

The delegation's visit also served as a platform to commend Taiwan's democratic maturity, as evidenced by TPP's impressive electoral performance - securing 26% of votes in its first presidential election bid, reminiscent of vice-presidential candidate Cynthia Wu's impressive keynote presentation in the European Parliament. In a moment of candid curiosity, Mr. Bütikofer inquired whether TPP would pursue collaboration with the ruling party on various issues in the Legislative Yuan. In response, Dr. Ko referenced a maxim once articulated by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken: "Competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be, and adversarial when it must be." He elucidated that this principle is not only pertinent to US-China and cross-Strait relations but equally applicable to the interplay of domestic political forces, highlighting a vision for pragmatic and constructive political engagement.

The delegation of seven, led by Mr. Reinhard Bütikofer, Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with China, included esteemed members Vice-President of the European Parliament, Ms. Heidi Hautala, Vice-Chair of the Green Party in the German Bundestag, Ms. Agnieszka Brugger, Deputy Chair of the German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Mr. Till Steffen, and the Green Party's spokesperson for human rights policy in the German Bundestag, Mr. Boris Mijatović. The meeting was characterized by an upbeat and engaging atmosphere that lasted for an hour. Following the discussions, Dr. Ko presented the delegation with gifts of Taiwanese organic tea and Hsinchu longan honey as a gesture of unwavering support for democratic values.