Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung urges AI, drone ties with Europe

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday called for Taiwan and Europe to build trusted supply chains in artificial intelligence (AI) and drones, saying closer cooperation could strengthen economic and national security.

Speaking at the opening of the annual conference of the Formosa Club, which connects pro-Taiwan parliamentarians across Europe, Lin said Taiwan’s semiconductor, AI server and emerging drone industries complemented Europe’s expertise in precision manufacturing and industrial technology.

“These require trusted partners because they directly involve national security and critical infrastructure,” he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, front, third left, and the European Parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group chairman Michael Gahler, front, third right, pose with other guests at the annual conference of the Formosa Club in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

Russia’s war against Ukraine had demonstrated how excessive economic dependence could become an instrument of coercion, Lin said, adding that Taiwan offered a partnership grounded in trust and shared values.

Taiwan was developing a complete drone supply chain encompassing hardware, critical components and cybersecurity standards, he said.

As an example of industrial cooperation, Lin cited a proposed technology park in Poland planned by the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association.

The project would focus on AI data centers, smart cities and electric vehicles, he said.

Lin described economic cooperation as one pillar of Taiwan’s “integrated diplomacy,” alongside partnerships with fellow democracies.

He urged like-minded countries to jointly resist transnational repression, accusing China of using domestic legislation to extend its jurisdiction overseas and threaten freedom of expression.

“No country should be allowed to use domestic law as an instrument for exporting a chilling effect beyond its own borders,” he said.

Member of the European Parliament Michael Gahler, who chaired the conference, called for parliamentary support for Taiwan to translate into broader, institutionalized cooperation at the government level.

He advocated arrangements facilitating investment in both directions, saying their substance mattered more than whether they were called bilateral investment agreements.

Europe could deepen practical engagement with Taiwan while maintaining its “one China” policies, Gahler said, distinguishing those policies from Beijing’s “one China” principle.

Democracies needed to coordinate their responses to the long-term threats of war, hybrid warfare and economic coercion from Russia and China, he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the club, which was founded in 2019, are scheduled to cohost a forum on Tuesday focusing on cooperation between Taiwan and Europe in AI and drone technology.