The eighth edition of the economic and technological consultations between Taiwan and Czechia took place Sept. 15 via video link to explore new ways to expand trade and economic cooperation.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the meeting was convened by MOEA Deputy Minister Cynthia Kiang and Director General David Müller of the European Union and foreign trade section at the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Kiang pointed out that despite uncertainties affecting international trade and economic growth, global organizations remain upbeat about Taiwan’s economy in 2025. She said the government continues to roll out policy measures to help local businesses weather the impact of geopolitical challenges, new U.S. tariffs and restrictions on the supply of key materials and technologies.
At the same time, Kiang added, Taiwan is expanding ties with democratic partners such as Czechia through the Five Trusted Industry Sectors initiative and the trusted supply chain policy. Müller said his country remains committed to expanding trade and economic relations with like-minded partners including Taiwan with the goal of mutually enhancing global competitiveness.
In addition to exchanging views on global economic developments, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues. The MOEA said the Taiwan Trade and Investment Service Center stands ready to assist with trade promotion and industrial cooperation, while the Czech side said Taiwanese were exempted from work permit requirements in March, underscoring the importance the Czech government attaches to investment from Taiwan.
The two sides also agreed to expand semiconductor cooperation under a bilateral resilience building program, enhance policy sharing and exchanges on artificial intelligence, and organize visits for firms engaging in smart city development.
According to MOEA statistics, Czechia was Taiwan’s leading trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe in 2024, with bilateral trade amounting to US$2.37 billion, up 94.79 percent from 2023. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw