Taiwan’s Strategic Importance for the EU: A New Era (2016-2024)
Peter Chu: Taiwan’s Strategic Importance for the EU: A New Era (2016-2024). AIES Focus 2024/8.
21.10.2024
The strategic importance of Taiwan as a focal point in the Indo-Pacific region and its critical role in global supply chains has led the European Union (EU) to reassess and adjust its strategy and policy toward the island. The EU now regards Taiwan as a like-minded partner in both economic and security matters. A potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait would not only disrupt global supply chains and reshape the rules-based international order, but it would also have serious repercussions for the EU’s economy.
Over the past eight years, the EU has shifted from a policy that primarily focused on economic engagement with Taiwan to one that encompasses a broader range of cooperation. This includes collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, high-level diplomatic exchanges, and the establishment of new Taiwanese diplomatic offices in Europe. This paper explores the recent shifts in EU-Taiwan relations and analyses why Taiwan has become one of the EU’s most important economic and diplomatic partners. Finally, the paper offers policy recommendations to guide the future of EU-Taiwan cooperation.