President Lai attends 2024 Europe Day Dinner
On the evening of June 13, President Lai Ching-te attended the 2024 Europe Day Dinner. In remarks, President Lai pointed out that since its establishment in 1988, the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) has witnessed Taiwan’s difficult path of democratization and has also been involved in Taiwan’s progress and development. The president said that Taiwan-Europe relations are now at an all-time high, with Europe being Taiwan’s third largest trading partner as well as Taiwan’s largest source of foreign investment. He expressed hope for Taiwan to sign an economic partnership agreement with the European Union, which would give businesses on both sides a better investment environment and more business opportunities.
The president expressed his gratitude to the ECCT for advancing the Taiwan-EU economic and trade relationship and enhancing our industrial links. He also thanked our friends from Europe for voicing support for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), and for offering their support and underlining the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Looking ahead, President Lai expressed his hope that Taiwan and Europe will advance together, side by side, to make even greater contributions to the international community.
A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows:
It is a pleasure to attend this year’s Europe Day Dinner. Thank you, Mr. [Giuseppe] Izzo for the invitation, and congratulations on your re-election as ECCT chairman. I am confident that under your leadership, the chamber will continue to grow and thrive.
I would also like to thank Representative [Filip] Grzegorzewski and all the European representatives for your commitment to advancing the relationship between Taiwan and Europe.
I remember just last year, when I was vice president, I spoke at an ECCT luncheon and shared my National Project of Hope for creating a democratic and peaceful, just and sustainable, innovative and prosperous Taiwan.
Now, I am honored to have taken on the responsibility of leading the nation bravely forward. My team and I will do our utmost to achieve our policy goals.
I also hope that, with the support of the ECCT and the guests here tonight, we can set new milestones in the cooperation between Taiwan and Europe.
Established in 1988, the chamber has witnessed Taiwan’s difficult path of democratization. It has also been involved in Taiwan’s progress and development.
As reflected in the theme for this dinner, “30 Years of Advocacy & Exchanges,” in 1994, the chamber began releasing its annual Position Papers, which address the development of Taiwan’s business environment. A year later, it began sending its Open Door Mission to Brussels to meet with high-level EU officials, ensuring that Taiwan receives adequate attention in Europe.
We have all seen the results of exchange between Taiwan and Europe these past eight years, especially in our economic ties, as our investment and bilateral trade have continued to reach new heights.
Indeed, our relations are now at an all-time high. Europe is Taiwan’s third largest trading partner as well as Taiwan’s largest source of foreign investment.
The ECCT has contributed to advancing the Taiwan-EU economic and trade relationship and enhancing our industrial links. For that, I want to express my sincere thanks.
Europe is home to a great number of mature democracies. While Taiwan and Europe may be separated by a great distance, we are actually very close in our determination to advance democracy, peace, prosperity, and sustainability.
We have shared values and common goals. In recent years, the EU has implemented its European Green Deal, European Economic Security Strategy, and its policies for digital transition. Today’s Taiwan is working toward developing more forms of green energy; it has mastered advanced semiconductor manufacturing; it stands at the center of the AI revolution; and it is a key player in supply chains for global democracies.
I believe that Taiwan and Europe can each use our strengths as we engage in exchange and form an even closer and more solid partnership.
Taiwan has formed agreements with its major trade partners. These include the signing of the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, an Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement with the United Kingdom, and investment arrangements with Japan and Canada.
Looking ahead, we hope to sign an economic partnership agreement with the EU, which would give entities on both sides a better investment environment and more business opportunities. To that end, we look forward to continued support from the ECCT and European enterprises.
We also encourage Taiwanese businesses to set their sights on Europe, and expand their global presence. That is why in recent years, the government has put strong focus on policies such as the Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Initiative, Central and Eastern Europe Credit Fund, and cooperation in the semiconductor industry.
As of this past April, investment in Europe by Taiwanese businesses had grown to 18.5 billion Euros. This achievement stems from the efforts that Taiwan and Europe made together. We hope that bilateral investment continues to deepen, and that our scope of collaboration expands even more.
As I noted in my inaugural address, in this era of globalization and wide-ranging competition, no one country can go it alone. Taiwan is ready and willing to work with European nations to address global issues together.
This year’s World Health Assembly recently concluded. I want to take this opportunity to thank our friends from Europe for voicing support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. Our participation can help in creating a more resilient global public health system.
As we face expanding authoritarianism, we also want to thank European countries for offering their support and underlining the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. And I especially want to thank the ECCT for publicly affirming the message of resolve in my inaugural address to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy.
Taiwan will continue to serve as a pilot for peace and a force for prosperity around the world. And support from Europe gives Taiwan strength to keep forging ahead. Side by side, let’s advance together, to make even greater contributions to the international community. Thank you.