French Senator Joel Guerriau on Saturday proposed a bill to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. The senator said that Taiwan has seen much success in fighting the pandemic and excluding Taiwan would be a loss for the international community.
The bill said that the early vigilance against COVID-19 has been a mark of the "Taiwan model” which brought the nation success and enhanced its reputation. Taiwan did not shut down, but its population is comparable to Australia and has seen only 10 deaths from COVID-10 as of March 23.
In the proposal, Guerriau reiterated French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s statement before the Senate last year that France is concerned about Taiwan as an economic partner. He calls on the government to support Taiwan’s participation in international agencies such as the WHO, ICAO and UNFCCC.
In addition, the senator said that joining forces with Taiwan in fighting organized crime and climate change will benefit the international community. Guerriau said Taiwan’s economy is one of the strongest in Asia, with a gross domestic product per capita comparable to that of Sweden.