High time for Europe to stand with Taiwan, island’s foreign minister says in Poland

WARSAW - It is high time for Europe to stand with Taiwan, given that both face the same threats from authoritarian neighbours, the island’s foreign minister said on Sept 29, seeking to find common cause with European democracies during a visit to Poland.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has found an increasingly sympathetic ear in parts of central and eastern Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, even though almost all European countries only maintain formal diplomatic ties with Beijing and not Taipei.

Addressing the Warsaw Security Forum, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said economic security was inseparable from national security.

“Today, authoritarian regimes, namely China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, have formed an axis of upheaval to challenge the rule-based international order. China is largely seen as the decisive enabler behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine," he said.

Europe faces threats from Russian hybrid operations, similar to what Taiwan faces from China, like cyber attacks and military exercises, Mr Lin added.

"It is high time for Europe to stand with Taiwan, to forge a robust coalition for our shared values and halt the expansion of authoritarian regimes. Taiwan is ready to work with Europe; is Europe ready to work with Taiwan?"

This is Mr Lin’s second visit to Europe in September, after earlier trips to Prague, Rome and Vienna, all of which earned a stern rebuke from China, especially as he was in Austria just a week after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

On Sept 30 in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Taiwan was seeking to exaggerate the threat from China and bring up “false narratives” about democracy versus authoritarianism.

“No matter what the Democratic Progressive Party authorities say or do, it cannot alter the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China’s territory,” he said, referring to Taiwan’s ruling party.

China says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties, a view the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

Mr Lin said Europe should put forward policies to welcome more companies from semiconductor powerhouse Taiwan, and pointed to the example of major chipmaker TSMC’s investment in Germany.

“Through such economic interactions, Taiwan and Europe can forge a powerful synergy, one that fosters a resilient and diversified tech ecosystem and contributes to Europe's strategic re-industrialisation which is essential in rearming Europe.” REUTERS