President Lai Ching-te on Oct. 28 received the Formosa Club delegation led by a Latvian member of the European Parliament, saying Taiwan will keep countering cable sabotage and transnational repression and wants secure AI, chip and drone supply chains with Europe. The group presented an annual resolution signed by more than 30 European lawmakers.
According to the Taipei Times, President Lai Ching-te received a delegation of the Formosa Club, an inter-parliamentary group of pro-Taiwan European legislators, at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Oct. 28. The delegation was led by Latvian MEP Rihards Kols. Lai stressed that Taiwan is a trustworthy partner in the alliance of democracies.
광고 문의 · 300×250Lai said Taiwan will work with democracies to keep countering sabotage of undersea internet cables and what Taipei describes as China-directed transnational repression. He said peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific matter to the European economy, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Taiwan Strait tensions as reasons democracies need partnerships. Beijing has long described the Taiwan question as an internal affair and opposed outside interference; its reaction to this meeting could not be confirmed in this reporting.
Defense industry and supply chains
Lai said Taiwan plans to strengthen its defense industrial base and self-defense capabilities. He also said Taiwan wants to work with Europe on secure supply chains in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and drones.
The report did not mention the scale of any projects or a timetable for agreements. Because the meeting was with a parliamentary group rather than a government-to-government negotiation, Lai's remarks mainly signal policy direction.
What the annual resolution says
Kols presented Lai with the resolution adopted at the Formosa Club's annual meeting in Taipei last Saturday. Signed by more than 30 lawmakers from across Europe, it calls for trustworthy supply chains in strategic industries, protection of undersea cables from malicious attacks, and opposition to unilateral changes to the cross-strait status quo. It also backs meaningful participation by Taiwan in international organizations.
Kols said European support for Taiwan is a consensus that transcends party lines and will continue regardless of changes of government. It is worth noting, however, that the resolution is an expression of individual lawmakers and is distinct from the official policy of national governments or the European Union.
