The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed a joint letter from five members of the Belgian parliament Nov. 22 in support of President Ma Ying-jeou’s East China Sea peace initiative.
The letter to Ma said Belgium is actively seeking to promote peace and security in the region in accordance with the EU’s East Asia policy and the joint foreign and security policy report ratified by the European Parliament, according to the MOFA.
“We hope that disputes in the East China Sea can be resolved on the basis of international law,” the authors said, adding that they believe Ma’s peace initiative can “encourage all parties to use peaceful dialogue for a cooperative solution.”
“We also encourage the respective parties to take positive and proactive measures to reduce tension and facilitate peace in East Asia,” it said. “The world looks forward to seeing a sea of peace and cooperation in the region in the near future.”
Proposed by Ma Aug. 5, the initiative calls on all parties to refrain from antagonistic actions; maintain dialogue; observe international law; settle disputes through peaceful means; and establish a mechanism for the joint development of resources.
The letter was signed Oct. 25 by Corinne De Permentier, vice president of the Belgian House of Representatives, and parliamentarians Patrick Moriau, Raf Terwingen, Jan Jambon and Georges Dallemagne.
The five serve as co-chairs of the House’s Taiwan Friendship Group, representing Belgium’s five main political parties, which together hold about two-thirds of the 150 House seats. All are party chairmen or senior party members, giving their letter major substantive and symbolic significance, the MOFA said. (SH-JSM)