China has been the main obstacle preventing the EU from opening negotiations with Taiwan over a deal on trade facilitation, despite “overwhelming backing” in the European parliament for the bid, a visiting member of the European Parliament said yesterday.

The European Parliament as a whole is very supportive of the EU signing a free-trade agreement or an economic cooperation agreement with Taiwan and wants to see negotiations start as soon as possible, said Martin Callanan, chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the parliament.