Taiwan defence cooperation with Europe is a key priority for President Lai Ching-te, who called for deeper military and technology partnerships in an interview with AFP published on February 12.
Speaking in Taipei in his first interview with an international news agency since taking office in May 2024, Lai said Taiwan seeks to strengthen defence, artificial intelligence and semiconductor collaboration with European countries amid rising tensions with China.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to use force to bring the self-governed island under its control. Beijing has increased military pressure around Taiwan in recent years.
Lai said Taiwan must enhance its deterrence capabilities while expanding strategic partnerships beyond the United States.
Taiwan defence cooperation with Europe and AI partnership
Lai told AFP he wants Taiwan and European countries to expand cooperation in the defence industry and defence technologies.
“I would like Taiwan and Europe to enhance cooperation in the defence industry and on defence technology,” he said during the interview at the Presidential Office Building.
He added that Taiwan is also eager to work with Europe on joint development in artificial intelligence, describing it as part of a broader transformation driven by advanced computing technologies.
Taiwan produces nearly all of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips. These chips are central to:
Artificial intelligence systems
Advanced weapons technologies
Next generation communication systems
Critical global supply chains
Lai said the government supports overseas investments by Taiwanese semiconductor companies, including in Europe, the United States and Japan.
However, he stressed that Taiwan must retain:
Core research and development centers
The most advanced manufacturing processes
The largest share of production capacity
“No single country in this supply chain can be missing,” Lai said, underscoring Taiwan’s role in the global technology ecosystem.
Warning over China’s intentions in the region
In the same AFP interview, Lai warned that if China were to annex Taiwan, its ambitions would not stop at the island.
“If Taiwan were annexed by China, China’s expansionist ambitions would not stop there,” Lai said.
He stated that Japan, the Philippines and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region would face increased pressure, with wider consequences potentially reaching Europe and the Americas.
Taiwan lies at the center of what is often described as the first island chain stretching from Japan to the Philippines. The Taiwan Strait is also one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
China has territorial disputes with both Japan and the Philippines. Regional leaders have previously warned that a conflict over Taiwan could draw in neighboring states.
Beijing has not announced a specific timeline to take control of Taiwan, but Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly described “reunification” as inevitable. Chinese military forces conduct near-daily naval and air operations around the island, and Beijing has carried out six large scale military drills since 2022.
Defence spending and US relations
Lai said Taiwan must be prepared to deter any attack at any time.
“We must have the capability to deter China’s aggression at any time,” he told AFP.
His government has proposed an additional 40 billion dollars in defence spending over eight years. The funding would include weapons purchases from the United States and the development of a multi layered air defence system known as the “T-Dome.”
Lai has pledged to raise defence spending to more than three percent of GDP this year and to five percent by 2030. However, opposition parties that hold a parliamentary majority have blocked related legislation multiple times.
Despite political divisions, Lai expressed confidence that the budget would eventually pass.
On US relations, Lai said ties with Washington remain “rock solid.” The United States ended formal diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979 but remains Taiwan’s main security backer and largest arms supplier.
He also commented ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in April, saying Taiwan welcomes talks that help maintain the status quo.
Background on China’s Taiwan policy
The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to 1949, when the Chinese civil war ended with Mao Zedong’s Communist forces taking control of mainland China. The defeated Kuomintang government retreated to Taiwan.
Beijing considers Taiwan an inalienable part of China under its “One China” principle and demands that countries recognize the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. Only a small number of countries maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
Beijing has increased political and military pressure on President Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party, which it describes as separatist.
For Iraq and the broader region, tensions in the Taiwan Strait are closely watched due to their potential impact on global trade, energy markets and semiconductor supply chains that affect worldwide industries.
Conclusion:
President Lai’s call for Taiwan defence cooperation with Europe reflects Taipei’s broader strategy to strengthen deterrence and diversify partnerships amid escalating tensions with China. As geopolitical competition intensifies, Taiwan’s defence posture and semiconductor role remain central to regional and global stability.
