With the presidential and legislative elections completed, the German Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Sunday praising Taiwanese voters for their commitment to democratic values. It congratulated all the voters, candidates, and elected officials for their participation.
The statement also congratulated the winning candidate but did not mention President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) by name or by his title. It emphasized that Germany maintains close relations with Taiwan and expressed its expectation to strengthen relations with Taiwan under their "One China" framework.
The statement is noteworthy as this is the first time in 12 years that the German government publicly congratulated Taiwan, highlighting a shift in their stance towards the island nation. Last year was the first time in 26 years that ministerial-level officials visited Taiwan and expanded exchanges between the two countries.