Europe and Taiwan should cooperate to navigate an uncertain world

Through deeper ‘officially unofficial’ partnerships Taipei and European countries can learn from each other and build resilience in an era of US-China rivalry. 

Expert comment

Published 1 October 2025 — 3 minute READ

Image — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (front centre right) speaks to Marek Zenisek, Czech Minister for Science at the Semicon Network Summit, in Taipei, Taiwan, on 9 September 2025.

Ben Bland

Director, Asia-Pacific Programme

US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China’s leader, are scheduled to meet this October. Taiwan is once again likely to be on the table as a bargaining chip between the superpowers.

The fate of this self-governing democracy of 23 million people, which Beijing claims as its territory and threatens to annexe by force if necessary, is often presented as a question of US–China relations. 

But this framing puts too much emphasis on the risk of a Chinese military invasion, as opposed to the coercive, grey-zone pressures that Beijing is using to try to undermine Taiwan’s unity and resilience. 

There is much more that European countries can do within the bounds of their unofficial partnerships with Taiwan.

Viewing the island chiefly through the lens of great power competition obscures Taiwan’s agency and the ability of other nations, including in Europe, to help maintain Taiwan’s de facto independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan and Europe have shared national interests in boosting cooperation, in the context of an assertive China and increasingly unilateral US. 

No European state, apart from Vatican City, has formal diplomatic relations with Taipei. But there is much more that European countries can do within the bounds of their unofficial partnerships with Taiwan.

Common interests

On a recent trip to Taipei, Taiwanese officials and security experts told me that they are very worried about the scale and speed of China’s military modernization and its repeated threats to invade. In response, they are pursuing a ‘not today’ policy, designed to deter President Xi from believing that now is the right time for military action.

But the bigger immediate concern is China’s escalating grey-zone tactics, using coercive methods below the threshold of war. Beijing is increasing the frequency and intensity of live-fire military exercises, drills and sea and air incursions around Taiwan’s waters. 

It is expanding its information operations in Taiwan, attempting to exacerbate splits in Taiwanese politics and society. And, globally, it is trying to further curb Taiwan’s limited international space and cloud the fact that Taiwan is a de facto independent democracy.

European nations cannot stop Beijing from squeezing Taiwan harder. But they can help to preserve and even increase Taiwan’s global connections, and share lessons in how to stay resilient in the face of external influence operations.

Deepening relations

Over the last decade, most European governments have slowly but steadily deepened their unofficial relationships with Taiwan – a UK trade minister visited Taipei for trade talks in June, for example. European officials are under constant pressure from China to limit ties with Taiwan. But they need to insist to their counterparts in Beijing that they want a good relationship with both sides of the Strait and will not trade away Taiwan for a promise of improved links with China.

The Taiwanese government and its European counterparts can – and should – catalyse private sector and research linkages that are mutually beneficial. 

Beyond officially unofficial diplomacy, Taiwan and Europe should broaden their economic and technological cooperation. Taiwan, the Netherlands and the UK have an opportunity to build on common strength in the semiconductor industry, for instance. Other areas for collaboration include the effectiveness of international trade rules, supply chain resilience and the regulation of artificial intelligence.

While legally binding agreements are difficult, the Taiwanese government and its European counterparts can – and should – catalyse private sector and research linkages that are mutually beneficial. 

Many European companies and universities remain reluctant to engage with Taiwan for fear of upsetting Beijing. European officials should help to better inform them about the extent of existing bilateral partnerships and the commercial and geopolitical upside of doing more together. 

Both the European Union and the UK hold annual trade and investment discussions with Taiwan, which have been upgraded in recent years. Taiwan was the EU’s 13th largest trade partner in 2024, with €71.9 billion of goods trade. And Taiwan was the UK’s 33rd largest trade partner in the year to March 2025, with £9.5 billion of trade.

Handling China

As the global order fragments, multilateral institutions decay, and US–China relations deteriorate, fears about conflict over Taiwan are rising. Such an outcome would likely have devastating impacts on the global economy. The consequences for Europe could be far more damaging than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, given Taiwan’s leading role in semiconductor and electronics supply chains.

Europe can…help elevate Taiwan’s constructive international role, and counter false Chinese Communist Party narratives.

Beyond trying to reduce this most extreme risk, there is much that Europe and Taiwan can do to alleviate the more pressing challenges they face today, and prepare themselves for a more contested, unstable world.

European intelligence leaders have warned that while Russia is their greatest short-term concern, China represents the biggest long-term challenge to European security, resilience and prosperity.

Europe can learn much about to handle China from Taiwan, which sits on the frontlines of Beijing’s mission to enhance its regional and global status, and shares language, culture and history with China.

At the same time, Europe can help Taiwan to shore up its resilience, without unnecessarily antagonizing Beijing. 

If European nations and Taiwan can deepen their economic and social links, Taiwan will have more leverage when facing Beijing’s threatening and destabilizing actions. Europe can also help elevate Taiwan’s constructive international role, and counter false Chinese Communist Party narratives about Taiwan.

Ultimately, both Taiwan and Europe remain heavily reliant on their security and economic ties with the US and their economic relationships with China. Despite talk of strategic autonomy, Europe does not have the geopolitical unity or heft to become an independent pole. But it can offer options to Taiwan, and vice versa, at a time when flexibility and creative diplomacy are more important than ever.