ROME: The lower house of Italy’s parliament has approved a motion calling on the government to pay attention to the Indo-Pacific region and to place importance on the situation across the Taiwan Strait.

The Italian Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday passed a motion urging the Italian government to work with partners in the EU and NATO to elaborate an Indo-Pacific strategy as China might use the Russian invasion in Ukraine to undertake action against Taiwan, reported Taipei Times.

The motion — introduced by Paolo Formentini, the chamber’s Permanent Commission of Foreign Affairs deputy chairman — passed the lower house largely unopposed, garnering 387 votes in support, 19 votes against and 11 abstentions.

The motion was one of the most important bills about Taiwan deliberated before the Italian parliament and received backing from the ruling coalition’s five parties, including the Five Star Movement, which has favored policies friendly to Beijing, reported Taipei Times.

After the vote, Formentini told Radio Radicale that the near-unanimous support for the motion showed that the Italian government must re-examine the country’s position and strategy regarding the Indo-Pacific region.

In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the Italian lower house, saying in a statement that the two countries have a strong partnership based on a shared belief in universal values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, reported Taipei Times.

Taiwan and Italy have a common interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific, it said, adding that Taipei would continue to work with Rome and other like-minded countries to protect world peace. (ANI)