Taiwan Urges EU to Sign Economic Partnership

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has urged the European Union to sign an economic partnership agreement aimed at enhancing semiconductor cooperation and securing supply chains amid rising authoritarianism. This push for closer ties is particularly significant for Taiwan, which experiences diplomatic isolation and exclusion from many global agreements. The EU is interested in Taiwan as a partner to bolster semiconductor production in Europe through the European Chips Act. Lai emphasized that such an agreement would establish a strong foundation for collaboration in semiconductors and AI, ultimately enhancing economic resilience and the stability of global supply chains. Taiwanese investment in the EU has already been bolstered by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which recently opened a new chip plant in Germany. Although EU officials praised the bilateral relationship, they did not commit to signing an agreement at the recent investment forum.