Calling for deeper strategic cooperation between Taiwan and Europe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Thursday said that Taiwan could become a key partner in Europe’s reindustrialization and rearmament efforts amid rising geopolitical tensions and rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).
Speaking at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague, Lin said that Taiwan and Europe should work together to build resilience centered on democracy, rule of law and trusted technology.
The annual forum, organized by European think tank GLOBSEC, is being held in the Czech capital from Thursday to today.
Photo: CNA
In a speech titled “Taiwan and Europe: Building Resilience in a Fragmented World,” Lin said the partnership between Taiwan and Europe is built on decades of economic cooperation and shared democratic values.
“Economy is security,” Lin said, adding that trade, technology, supply chains and industrial capacity have become critical components of national resilience.
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and trusted supply chain position have made it a natural partner for Europe in the AI era.
Addressing global security challenges, Lin said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated the risks posed by unchecked authoritarian aggression.
He accused China of promoting an authoritarian model based on “control, dependency and coercion” through military and economic pressure.
He cited President William Lai’s (賴清德) planned trip to Eswatini last month, which was delayed because China pressured three island nations into denying permission to fly through their flight information regions (FIRs).
The FIR system was intended to ensure aviation safety and should remain neutral, stable and orderly, he said, adding that the incident shows that Beijing’s abuse of power could seriously threaten international stability.
Lin also criticized China’s non-market practices and industrial overcapacity, saying they had distorted global competition and increased dangerous dependence on single supply sources.
He further warned against the weaponization of critical mineral exports, saying the issue underscored the importance of supply chain derisking.
Taiwan’s efforts to reduce economic dependence on China have already produced results, Lin said.
While 84 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China a decade ago, that figure has dropped to about 3 percent, he added.
“Effective derisking measures have also helped Taiwan’s economy to grow even stronger,” Lin said, adding that Taiwan’s GDP grew by more than 8 percent last year and is projected to grow about 7 percent this year.
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