By Martin Banks - 24th November 2008
clearly, Taiwan, which has huge investment in China, is doing its best to reduce tension in the region
Dirk Sterckx MEP, head of the delegation visiting Beijing and Shanghai
There is no doubt that China has the power to obliterate Taiwan but resorting to military action to resolve the dispute would be a tripwire for a global conflict and I hope that China realises this
Stephen Hughes MEP
Beijing - Any possible military action by China against Taiwan would be a "tripwire" for global conflict, according to a senior British MEP.
China has warned that it may take military action in the event of any move by Taiwan to declare independence from the mainland.
But, speaking at the start of a parliamentary delegation to China, Socialist deputy Stephen Hughes appealed to the Chinese authorities to extend an "olive branch" to their Taiwanese neighbours in a bid to resolve the long-running sovereignty dispute between the two countries.
Hughes said, "China is not likely to give up its 'One China' policy towards Taiwan but current military tensions between the mainland and Taiwan are palpable, even scary.
"There is no doubt that China has the power to obliterate Taiwan but resorting to military action to resolve the dispute would be a tripwire for a global conflict and I hope that China realises this."
Hughes said he hoped China, rather than using the threat of military action against its small neighbour, would "look kindly" on current Taiwanese efforts to build closer cross-strait relations.
His comments were echoed by Belgian ALDE MEP Dirk Sterckx, head of the delegation visiting Beijing and Shanghai, who said, "The message I will be conveying to Chinese officials this week is that everyone should try to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict between China and Taiwan."
He added, "Progress is being made between the two sides but how deep this is and how long it will last remains to be seen. But clearly, Taiwan, which has huge investment in China, is doing its best to reduce tension in the region."
Their remarks come in the wake of a recent speech by Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou who said that the recent thawing of relations between Taiwan and China is of 'great importance' and 'contributes to regional peace and stability."
He expressed the view that improved relations will be helpful to the future of Taiwan's economy, given the size of the mainland China market and the global economic downturn.
During their visit, MEPs will meet senior Chinese government officials and NGO representatives and will raise various issues, including human rights and China's likely reaction to the global financial crisis.
The MEP delegation visit, one of the biggest ever parliamentary delegations, comes ahead of next week's EU-China summit in Lyon. Although the Taiwan issue is not on the agenda, the matter is expected to be raised in the margins of the summit, which will include commission president José Manuel Barroso and French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
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