Opening remarks at the Taiwan Expo 2026 in Europe

Opening remarks at the Taiwan Expo 2026 in Europe

• Data Source：Department of European Affairs
• Date：2026-06-22

Dr. Lin Chia-lung

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of China (Taiwan)

June 22, 2026

(As Prepared for Delivery)

Ms. Cynthia Kiang, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs;

Mr. Michał Jaros, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Poland;

Mr. Valère Moutarlier, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's DG GROW;

Mr. James Huang, Chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA);

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen:

Good morning!

It is a great pleasure to join you at the Taiwan Expo 2026 in Europe. This marks my third visit to Poland since becoming foreign minister, highlighting the importance Taiwan attaches to our strategic partnership with this key European nation. Poland has likewise shown an interest in continuing technological cooperation with Taiwan, as highlighted in February by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. This was a powerful affirmation that Taiwan is a capable, willing, and trustworthy friend of Poland and other European countries. Healthy collaboration among like-minded nations will be crucial to ushering in the era of industry 5.0 against the backdrop of a complex geopolitical landscape.

The world is undergoing its most profound shift since World War II. This is being driven by the aggressive expansionism of authoritarian states. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call, as it shattered the long-held illusion that economic interdependence would necessarily lead to security. The democratic community has awakened to the harsh reality that dependencies can be weaponized by adversaries. And as a countermeasure, Europe is now working to reindustrialize and rearm. At the heart of this strategy is industry 5.0-under which production will leverage AI but remain resilient, sustainable, and human-centered.

Taiwan stands ready to act as an indispensable partner in Europe's efforts to enhance strategic autonomy and build resilient, non-red supply chains. Following decades of innovation, our nation emerged as a global technological powerhouse. Our firms produce approximately 90 percent of the world's AI servers. We manufacture around 60 percent of all semiconductors, including over 90 percent of the most advanced chips. Today, I am calling for the creation of a Taiwan-Europe democratic supply chain that is anchored in trust and shared values. As a key industrial and logistics hub, Poland is poised to play a pivotal role in this endeavor.

This is not some distant goal, but rather a reality we are already constructing. Taiwan's businesses are developing across Europe. Among them are TSMC in Germany, Foxconn in France and the Czech Republic, and Delta Electronics in the Netherlands and Slovakia. Meanwhile, cooperation between Taiwan and Poland has achieved remarkable milestones. In March, the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association announced that it would set up a technology park here in Poland, while Foxconn recently unveiled a strategic alliance with ElectroMobility Poland to found an electric vehicle research and production hub in the southern part of the country. Looking ahead, next-generation technologies like drones are yet another promising frontier for joint collaboration.

Today, it is my privilege to be leading a delegation of pioneering Taiwanese industrial associations and tech enterprises to this year's expo. Our major aim is to accelerate the development of closer industrial ties. Over the coming days, you will have close-up access to Taiwan's cutting-edge innovations in a variety of fields. Having brought our best and brightest as well as our most advanced technologies to Warsaw, we hope to demonstrate how Taiwan is uniquely positioned to contribute to reinforcing Europe's economic and security architecture.

At a time like this, I am reminded of former Polish President Lech Wałęsa, who said, "There is no freedom without solidarity." In our time, solidarity must extend to the economic realm. When democracies band together to build resilient supply chains, we are realizing solidarity, the concept that Poland taught the world. And in such a spirit, Taiwan will continue to stand with Poland in support of Ukraine's struggle against authoritarian aggression. Having already worked with other democracies to deliver vital humanitarian aid, Taiwan stands ready to contribute its expertise in smart healthcare, smart cities, and communications to hasten Ukraine's reconstruction.

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to our Ministry of Economic Affairs and TAITRA for organizing this exceptional event and to our Polish hosts for their warm hospitality. I wish the Taiwan Expo 2026 in Europe tremendous success and all of you good health and happiness. Thank you.