TAIPEI/BRUSSELS -- Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu visits Central Europe this week as Taipei and the European Union pursue closer political ties along with economic partnerships in areas such as semiconductors.
On his first trip to Europe since 2019, Wu is set to speak Tuesday at an international conference in Slovakia and meet with the president of the Czech Republic Senate, who went to Taiwan himself last summer.
Like the two European countries, "we similarly aspire to freedom, human rights & rule of law," Wu tweeted Sunday.
A Taiwanese delegation led by Kung Ming-hsin, head of the National Development Council, is already in Europe for a trade and investment tour of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania.
The trips hint at shifting attitudes toward Taiwan in Brussels, which is joining the U.S. and Japan in aligning itself more closely with a fellow democracy amid a chill in relations with Beijing over human rights and democratic values. But with big European economies like Germany reluctant to anger China, a major trade partner, smaller EU members are leading the way.
The EU's Indo-Pacific strategy released last month calls for pursuing "deep trade and investment relationships" with Taiwan, particularly in semiconductors.
Margarethe Vestager, the EU's digital policy chief, has advocated for closer ties with Taiwan. © AP The European Parliament went a step further Thursday with the passage of a nonbinding resolution recommending stronger political ties with the island as a "key partner" in the Indo-Pacific.
The resolution calls for changing the name of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan to the "European Union Office in Taiwan," in what would amount to an upgrade of its status to reflect the broad relationship. It also urges Brussels to work toward a bilateral investment agreement and promote cooperation in semiconductors amid a global shortage. Europe relies on semiconductor devices from the U.S., Taiwan and South Korea, and is keen to develop chip supply chains within the bloc.
European Commission digital policy chief Margrethe Vestager stressed the importance to the EU of wide-ranging cooperation with Taiwan. Brussels "will continue supporting [Taiwan's] system of governance, based on democracy, the rule of law and human rights, its open society and market economy," she said.
Meng Chih-Cheng, a professor of international politics at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, said "the Hong Kong problem has heightened European interest in Taiwan," referring to Beijing's crackdown there. The impending departure of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has favored engagement with China, is a factor as well, Meng said.
But not all EU members are as keen on engagement with Taiwan. Some fear the economic repercussions of upsetting China. Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, has said there is a need for a careful balance.
While Brussels has stood firm on certain points with Beijing, such as human rights, it does not want to endanger its relationship with a massive market that has become vital to the bloc's economy. The EU does more than 10 times as much trade with China as with Taiwan.
Germany is especially sensitive about trade, given China's status as a major export market.
Smaller EU members, meanwhile, have been strong advocates for closer ties with Taiwan, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe and the three Baltic states.
Wu's itinerary had initially included a visit to Italy that was canceled shortly before the trip. The most recent announcement about his trip also made no mention of a reportedly planned stop in Poland.
Taiwanese media have reported the Italian government may have abruptly halted visa issuance for Wu out of deference to Beijing.
As the Biden administration takes a hard line on China, and Beijing turns up the pressure on Taipei and those that support it, how the EU will strike a balance between China and Taiwan is unclear.
Chinese President Xi Jinping took a swipe at the recent support for Taipei in a speech Monday marking the 50th anniversary of the recognition of the People's Republic of China as China's representative to the United Nations. "International rules should be observed by the 193 U.N. member states, and there is no and should be no exception," he said.