Premier Cho Jung-tai anticipated that the Taiwan and Europe economic partnership can be further deepened.
Cho made the remarks while meeting Lutz Güllner, head of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan Oct. 16 in Taipei City.
Taiwan and the European Union have always been important democratic and economic partners, the premier said, adding that the EU is Taiwan’s fourth largest trade partner, as well as the country’s largest source of foreign investment. Taiwan investment in the EU over the past four years exceeded that of the past four decades and bilateral economic cooperation mainly focused on semiconductor, digital technology and industrial green transition, Cho said.
Cho noted that President Lai Ching-te places a strong emphasis on Taiwan’s role in the global supply chain. Accordingly, the Executive Yuan actively promotes the five major industries, artificial intelligence, defense, next generation communications, semiconductors and security control.
The premier voiced appreciation to the EU for its noting of the importance of cooperating with Taiwan in the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. He also thanked the European Parliament for the Taiwan friendly resolutions passed and for the many EU member nations that have spoken in support of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in global organizations.
In response, Güllner said that EU’s total investment in Taiwan surpassed the total volume of investment in Taiwan by the U.S. and Japan, which is a solid foundation for the advancement of the two-way ties. He concluded by emphasizing that bilateral collaboration has been built on shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. (POC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw