Taipei Times
Date: Dec 11, 2019
By: Staff writer, with CNA, BERLIN

A German official on Monday rejected a petition asking the country to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan, citing Berlin’s “one China” policy, but said it plans to expand its ties with Taiwan.

Petra Sigmund, the director-general for Asia and the Pacific at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Germany and China established diplomatic relations in 1972 and the country recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China.

Germany excludes the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties with Taiwan under its “one China” policy, Sigmund said, adding that it has no intention of changing the policy, in keeping with its EU partners.

Sigmund was responding to a petition launched by Michael Kreuzberg that asked Berlin to formally recognize Taiwan. The petition reached the 50,000-signature threshold in October, which required the German government to formally discuss it.    [FULL  STORY]