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European Parliament Vice-President Nicola Beer arrives in Taiwan on visit — report

Beer said on arrival that Europe "won't have a blind eye on China's threats to Taiwan"

HONG KONG/XIANGGANG, July 19. /TASS/. Vice-President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday on a three-day visit, the Central News Agency reported.

She is scheduled to meet with the head of the Taiwanese administration, Tsai Ing-wen, and other officials. The sides will discuss issues ranging from security to democracy to human rights.

Beer said on arrival that Europe "won't have a blind eye on China's threats to Taiwan." She said "now is the moment to stand firm on the side of Taiwan" and that Taiwan shouldn’t become the next Hong Kong.

It’s the first visit to Taiwan by an EP delegation. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of China and urges other countries to follow a one-China policy, is expected to be irritated by the visit.

Western countries in recent months have stepped up their contacts with Taiwan. In another recent example of the closer ties, a US nongovernmental delegation to Taiwan sent by the Atlantic Council and led by former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday discussed sales of weapons to the island.