The German education minister traveled to Taiwan on Tuesday for the first visit in 26 years by a German minister to the Chinese-claimed island to sign a technology partnership.
China regularly opposes official exchange visits between Taiwan and its international partners.
German Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger said the agreement, signed with Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), aims to “improve cooperation based on democratic values, transparency, openness, reciprocity and scientific freedom.”
Bettina Stark-Watzinger considered it a “great pleasure and honour” to become the first member of a German government to visit the island in more than two decades.
When asked about the presence of Chinese who oppose his visit, Stark-Wazzinger declined to answer.
China has increased its diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan in retaliation with a series of visits by US, European and other officials.
According to press reports, Taiwanese tech giant TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, is currently in talks to build its first European factory in Germany.
In December, the company had said it had “no concrete plans” to set up a production facility in Germany.
Source: TSF
