Thu, Sep 18, 2025 page8

• Taiwan’s ties with Italy growing

  • By Michele Maresca
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  Italy’s relationship with Taiwan continues to deepen, as shown by the recent visit of an Italian parliamentary delegation to the nation. The encounter forms part of a broader effort by Italian lawmakers to demonstrate their commitment to Taiwan’s democratic aspirations and global inclusion.

  Italy has taken concrete steps to deepen its engagement with Taiwan. Earlier this month, the Italian parliament passed a resolution supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations, with particular emphasis on the WHO, where Taiwan’s absence remains a critical gap, despite the nation’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to global health.

  Last year, the Italian Navy conducted joint submarine exercises with the USS Russell in the South China Sea, laying the foundation for a more active role in safeguarding stability and security in a region central to Italy’s strategic interests and democratic values.

  It was precisely this theme that emerged during the meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and the visiting Italian delegation, in which both sides expressed a shared desire to deepen their relationship.

  That intent found tangible expression in the size of the delegation itself — the largest ever sent by Italy to Taiwan. Rome’s willingness to extend a hand to Taipei is a meaningful gesture that might well shape the future contours of their bilateral partnership.

  Lin’s remarks to the Italian delegation reflected Taiwan’s strategic interest in institutionalizing freedom of navigation exercises in the Taiwan Strait — a concept tied to Italy’s prior participation in joint patrols in the South China Sea.

  These operations would not only signal Italy’s peaceful intent, but also reinforce its role in promoting maritime security and regional stability, Lin said.

  Such a step would contribute meaningfully to the broader coalition of democratic actors committed to safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty and navigational rights, he added.

  The proposal aligns with Italy’s pledge to expand its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, a scenario not publicly confirmed by the Italian government, but likely conveyed informally during bilateral meetings between Taiwanese and Italian political representatives.

  Should Italy join freedom of navigation exercises in the Taiwan Strait, it would demonstrate a concrete commitment to regional stability, aligning itself with Western partners such as France and, more decisively, Germany.

  German warships’ transit of the Strait in September last year was the German Navy’s first such operation in more than two decades.

  The maneuver was intended as a “clear and strong signal” in defense of navigational freedoms and the rules-based international order, German security sources said.

  As for relations with Rome, Taiwan is deeply valued by a growing segment of the Italian parliament — not only for its economic and technological strengths, but for its role as a force for democracy in the Indo-Pacific region, despite its relatively small population.

  To translate this recognition into policy, Italy would need to take a further step — one that demonstrates a genuine willingness to support peace through concrete and symbolic engagement.

  By taking such a step, Italy would draw closer to Germany’s example — a country that shares its belief in the need to preserve stability and freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait.

  The moment is ripe: In the first days of this moment, the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec and the Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane sailed through the Strait in what marked the two nations’ first joint freedom of navigation operation. Beijing’s reaction — claiming the move “undermines regional peace and stability” — highlights the symbolic weight of such maneuvers and their capacity to challenge coercive narratives.

  These examples make one thing clear: Fears of Chinese retaliation are not only exaggerated, but also unsupported by facts. Beijing might have reacted harshly to Germany, Canada and Australia, but it has failed to stop any of them from carrying out operations in defense of freedom of navigation.

  These actions have lent meaningful support to Taiwan’s rightful aspirations — for dignity, recognition and peace. There is a credible foundation for Italian engagement in the Taiwan Strait.

  Such a move would not only reaffirm Italy’s commitment to freedom of navigation, but also position it alongside a growing coalition of democratic partners supporting Taiwan’s legitimate aspirations to uphold a rules-based international order, and ensure regional stability in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

  Michele Maresca is an analyst at Il Caffe Geopolitico, an online international law journal, and the think tank Geopol21.
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