TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the European Parliament for adopting a report Wednesday on strategic defense and security partnerships.
The report notes the need to reassess economic dependency on China and strengthen strategic cooperation with Taiwan and other allies. In an interview with AFP this week, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) called for strengthening cooperation with the EU on AI and defense technologies.
Europe seeks to reconsider trade relations with China as Beijing continues to support Russia in the war effort against Ukraine. The report also says that Europe must manage strategic competition with China given the security threats it poses to Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
In January, the EU adopted its annual security and defense policy papers, which condemned China’s provocative actions, including its cognitive warfare campaign that targets Taiwan. In late January, the European Parliament also called for enhanced cooperation with Taiwan to develop a resilient supply chain for drone technology.
In a press release Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the EU’s adoption of the report on strategic defense partnerships. The ministry said Taiwan is willing to work with European partners to boost economic resilience by establishing supply chains for critical technologies that are independent of China.
Exchanges between Taiwan and Europe have been increasing at a steady pace since Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's (蕭美琴) address at the European Parliament in November, which marked a new era for Taiwan-EU relations.
