By Martin Banks - 23rd February 2009
There are certainly lessons to be learned from EU integration
Lyushun Shen
Taiwan's new representative to Brussels has said he wants to promote "mutual trust and understanding" between his country and the EU.
Taiwan is already economically important to the EU, being its 13th largest trading partner.
But Lyushun Shen said his role was to further promote trade investment, cultural and tourism exchanges between Taiwan and Europe.
Addressing a meeting organised by the Brussels-based association of European journalists, he also said the way in which the EU had relatively effortlessly absorbed 27 members could be a source of inspiration to Taiwan in its ongoing efforts to seek closer relations with China.
China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and currently has missiles targeting its small neighbour across the Taiwan-straits.
"There are certainly lessons to be learned from EU integration," said Lyhushun, who recently took up his new post.
Taiwan, as the world's 14th largest economy and a market leader in the ICT sector, also offered the EU many trade opportunities, he added.
In a speech to more than 30 policymakers, stakeholders and journalists, Lyushun, who, prior to his new post, was Taiwan's chief of mission in Geneva, said he hopes his country will be successful in its latest bid to gain observer status in the world health organisation (WHO).
He also appealed to the EU to support its application, which will be considered in Geneva in May at the annual conference of the world health assembly, the WHO's main decision-making body.
Meanwhile, two MEPs have been honoured for their contributions to promoting parliamentary diplomacy with Taiwan.
ALDE group leader Graham Watson and Georg Jarzembowski, head of parliament's Taiwan friendship group, were each awarded a medal by Wang Jin-pyng, speaker of Taiwan's parliament during his recent visit to the assembly.
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