President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) met with a visiting delegation of Polish lawmakers from the European Parliament’s European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) on Tuesday, July 21. He said during the meeting that in the face of expanding authoritarianism, only like-minded partners working together can safeguard a way of life rooted in democracy and freedom.

The delegation of Polish ECR lawmakers is led by former Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło, who sits on the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS), which focuses on resilience and defending the democratic process from hybrid threats.

Lai said that Taiwan is willing to share its experience with democratic partners like Poland, strengthen cooperation in key fields such as artificial intelligence, and work together to build more resilient democratic supply chains. He also thanked the European Parliament for its long-standing solidarity with Taiwan. Lai noted that this year alone it has adopted multiple pro-Taiwan resolutions and reports, and supported strengthening drone technology cooperation between Taiwan and the EU.

Szydło said in her remarks that in an era of global economic and digital transformation, building trustworthy partnerships is key to enhancing national resilience. She expressed hope that Poland and Taiwan would continue to deepen economic and trade cooperation, bringing the two sides closer together.

Szydło said that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait matter not only to Taiwan but also affect the peace and security of Europe. That is why the Polish ECR delegation unanimously believes that cross-strait disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law and opposes any use of force. She said the European Union should continue to deepen cooperation with trustworthy democratic partners, and that Taiwan-Europe relations should continue to develop in a pragmatic, open, dialogue-based, and long-term direction.