This Wednesday, the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) held the 2026 Taiwan-Europe Healthcare Forum. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), delivering remarks via video, stated that Taiwan-Europe cooperation constitutes a positive force on the front lines of global public health.

The theme of this year’s forum was “Partnering for a healthy Taiwan - Driving strategic resilience and accelerating innovation through global synergy.” It focused on topics including demographic resilience, family-centered health policy, respiratory health, and immunization.

ECCT Chairperson Tina Graves noted in her remarks that Taiwan entered a super-aged society last year and that Taiwan’s birth rate hit an all-time low in February of this year. While Japan took 14 years to undergo this kind of structural demographic shift, Taiwan took only eight. Graves said this makes healthcare the single most critical issue on the national policy agenda and stressed that action must be taken to ensure the sustainability and resilience of Taiwan’s healthcare system.

In her video address, the vice president highlighted that Europe possesses world-leading pharmaceutical R&D capabilities and Taiwan stands at the forefront of information and communications technology and medical innovation. She said the government is working to realize its Healthy Taiwan vision through various initiatives and continues to ensure Taiwan’s domestic regulations are aligned with international standards.

“Taiwan has been recognized by the EU and listed among approved third countries for active pharmaceutical ingredients exported to Europe, and has become an associate member of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities. These achievements demonstrate that Taiwan is a reliable partner within the global medical community,” she said.

Hsiao added that Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with European governments, research institutions, and private enterprises to jointly usher in a new era of public health.