The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) kicked off its annual meeting on Tuesday, with the Foreign Ministry hosting a reception for the visiting delegation on Monday evening.

The Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday Deputy Minister Tien Chung-kwang’s (田中光) speech used an analogy of marathon partners crossing the finish line together. This was to emphasize the importance of democratic countries working together to uphold a rules-based international order.

Tien acknowledged IPAC&39;s actions and countering efforts to undermine international norms. He thanked IPAC for its advocacy with G7 and G20 member states to support democratic Taiwan, stressing the importance of continued close cooperation to counteract China&39;s distortion of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, in which they deliberately misinterpret it as an endorsement for the "One-China” principle.

In his address, IPAC&39;s recent legislation passed on July 1 against Taiwan's independence, which he argued violates UN human rights principles. Cadic urged China to adhere to the Olympic spirit and cease its aggressive military actions. He called on China to respect freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea to ensure regional peace and stability.

Founded in June 2020, IPAC focuses on the challenges China poses to democracies and advocates for legislative measures globally to uphold a rules-based international order. Its members include over 250 lawmakers from 34 countries and the European Parliament.