Taiwan loses allies in European Parliament election - Main contents

Half of the European parliamentarians who have lent support to Taiwan failed to hold their seats in the recent European Parliament election, making it harder for Taiwan to break out of its predicament in the international political arena, writes our sister paper China Times.

Taiwan has nurtured a relationship with the European Union through the members of the parliament's Cross-Party Group on Taiwan despite pressure from Beijing.

The group's leader, Charles Tannock, a Member of the European Parliament for the Conservative Party of the UK, and Hans van Baalen, MEP for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy of the Netherlands, were both re-elected. However, Graham Watson, widely regarded as Taiwan's staunchest supporter in the European Parliament, lost his seat as MEP for South West England.

Local political commentators said Watson's absence will be a great loss for Taiwan.

Watson has in the past made tremendous efforts to arrange for senior Taiwanese officials meet with their European counterparts and he is partly responsible for Taiwan entering the visa waiver program for a number of European countries.

MEP Hans van Baalen of the Netherlands meets Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou, at the Presidential Office in Taipei. Van Baalen managed to hold his seat. (Photo/CNA)

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