Vice President of Taiwan Calls for Closer Ties with the EU

• The Vice President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, called on the EU to support the island's democracy.
• He compared the threats Taiwan faces from hybrid attacks in Europe.
• Taiwan plans to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.

The Vice President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, urged the European Union to strengthen security and trade ties with the island during a rare public appearance before international lawmakers in Brussels on November 7, 2025. He emphasized the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait for global stability and economic security.

He noted that cross-strait military pressure from China is unprecedented. His appearance took place during a conference that gathered lawmakers from various countries, although formal diplomatic relations between the EU and Taiwan do not exist.

The Vice President stressed that democracies, even if they are far apart, should not remain isolated in the face of growing authoritarianism. He also called for cooperation in the fields of reliable supply chains and technological innovation.

While EU members adhere to the "One China" policy, they share common democratic values with Taiwan and oppose military actions from China. He compared cyberattacks on Taiwan with hybrid attacks that European countries face following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In recent years, China has actively increased its military presence around Taiwan, conducting joint exercises. In response to the escalating threats, Taiwan plans to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.

Lai was part of a conference organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, aimed at strengthening political coordination related to China. Approximately 50 lawmakers from two dozen countries participated in the event.

Earlier, he reported threats from Chinese agents during his visit to Czechia, where they planned to physically attack him.

Tags: Europe/Politics