The Taiwan Expo in Europe yesterday opened in Warsaw, with Taiwanese and European officials highlighting growing cooperation in sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing, along with plans for a technology park.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Cynthia Kiang (江文若) said Poland has become a key partner for Taiwan's entry into the European market, with bilateral trade growing 20 percent since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2018.
The two countries are also preparing to sign an MOU on research and development cooperation, she said.
Photo: CNA
Many Taiwanese companies have established operations in Poland in sectors including information and communications technology and green energy storage, Kiang said in an interview after the event.
As Poland accelerates industrial transformation based on its traditional strength in the automotive industry, Taiwanese companies are expanding cooperation with Polish firms across the supply chain, from research and development to manufacturing, Kiang said.
The two sides are expected to deepen cooperation in AI and electric vehicles, she added.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA) vice president Kevan Tsai (蔡松慧) announced that a previously proposed technology park would be built in Miekinia, Poland.
The project would include zones for battery manufacturing, public infrastructure, smart devices and services, as well as residential and lifestyle facilities, he said.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs would assist TEEMA in coordinating with Polish national and local authorities and ensuring compliance with local regulations, Kiang said.
The ministry established a Taiwan Trade and Investment Service Center in Warsaw at the end of last year to help Taiwanese businesses navigate regulations, taxation and investment issues in Central and Eastern Europe, she added.
Kiang also highlighted Taiwan's drone industry, saying that 16 Taiwanese drone companies are participating in the expo after attending a Polish trade fair focused on drones and uncrewed systems in March.
The companies are seeking business opportunities in Poland and the wider Central European market, she said.
Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Valere Moutarlier, deputy director-general of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, said he hoped for greater Taiwan-Europe cooperation in robotics, advanced manufacturing, smart technologies and the circular economy.
Both sides should translate mutual understanding into strategic projects with tangible effects, he said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in his speech quoted former Polish president Lech Walesa, saying that "there is no freedom without solidarity."
Democratic countries working together to build resilient supply chains embody the spirit of solidarity Poland has shared with the world, he said.
Building resilient, democratic supply chains through "friend-shoring" is becoming increasingly important, said Michal Jaros secretary of state at the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.
Jaros encouraged Polish businesses to invest in future-oriented industries.
First launched in 2017, the Taiwan Expo in Europe is being held in Poland for the first time this year, Kiang said.
The themes of this year's event include "resilience" in supply chains, "reliability" in partnerships and "rebuilding" for development and infrastructure.
More than 100 Taiwanese companies are participating in the expo. For the first time, representatives from the EU, Japan and Ukraine have also been invited to explore deeper supply-chain cooperation.
The event ends tomorrow.
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