A delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defense is visiting Taiwan and met with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) this Tuesday.

Lai thanked the European Parliament for its strong support of Taiwan, citing the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defense Policy resolutions passed in January. He said the policies reaffirm opposition to China’s distortion of Resolution 2758 and its unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait through force or coercion. Lai underlined that this demonstrates a commitment to democratic values and proves Taiwan is an important Indo-Pacific partner for the EU.

The president said Taiwan has long been at the forefront of combating authoritarian expansion and complex threats and is always willing to share its accumulated experience with the EU and international allies to jointly maintain regional peace. Lai added that he hopes Taiwan and the EU can strengthen cooperation in key strategic industries in order to jointly build a secure, reliable, and resilient democratic supply chain to ensure the security and autonomy of critical industries.

Lai said, “I look forward to, with the support of distinguished guests and the European Parliament, Taiwan and the EU establishing closer cooperation mechanisms in key strategic industries such as drones, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and space.” 

Cooperation between democratic nations is never about confrontation, President Lai said, but about safeguarding the universal values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. He added that he hopes this delegation’s visit will enhance the EU’s understanding of and trust in Taiwan, laying a strong foundation for future cooperation.