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On the afternoon of October 28, President Lai Ching-te met with European delegates to the 2025 Formosa Club Annual Conference and Taiwan-Europe Undersea Cables Security and Cooperation Forum. In remarks, President Lai expressed his appreciation to the guests for promoting pro-Taiwan resolutions in the European Parliament and their respective national parliaments, and for supporting Taiwan’s international participation. The president indicated that this marks the first time the annual conference has been held in Taiwan, and stated that Taiwan is fully committed to collaborating with European and other democratic partners to enhance the security and resilience of undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. He also stated that Taiwan is ready to work with Europe to strengthen the alignment between technology and our values of freedom and democracy through public-private cooperation, so as to jointly establish a new paradigm for democratic partnerships. The president expressed hope to continue working hand in hand to promote global peace, prosperity, and development.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Let me start by warmly welcoming you all to Taiwan. I would also like to thank you for sharing valuable insights and engaging in in-depth exchanges at the conference and forum. The Formosa Club was jointly established in 2019 by the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group and Taiwan friendship groups of the national parliaments of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Its goal is to rally support among like-minded countries for Taiwan’s international participation. This year is especially significant because it marks the first time the Formosa Club Annual Conference has been held in Taiwan.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for your longstanding efforts in promoting pro-Taiwan resolutions in the European Parliament and your respective national parliaments. In particular, the European Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions and statements in its current term that categorically oppose China’s malicious distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and reject any attempts by China to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion.
Taiwan has never backed down in the face of expanding authoritarianism. We have always steadfastly upheld the values of democracy and freedom. Your support for Taiwan shows the international community that even under the pressure of authoritarian coercion, we still have like-minded friends who are willing to speak up in the name of friendship and stand for freedom and democracy. This shows the Taiwanese people that democratic partners around the world are working hand in hand with Taiwan to tackle challenges.
In recent years, both Taiwan and Europe have faced challenges arising from undersea cable damage or interference. These incidents have reminded us that subsea infrastructure is a lifeline of the global digital economy and a foundation of cybersecurity and economic resilience for democratic nations. At the Taiwan-Europe Undersea Cables Security and Cooperation Forum earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) introduced Taiwan’s RISK Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables.
I want to stress that Taiwan is fully committed to collaborating with European and other democratic partners to enhance the security and resilience of undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. We are also ready to work with Europe to strengthen the alignment between technology and our values of freedom and democracy through public-private cooperation, so as to jointly establish a new paradigm for democratic partnerships. In closing, I once again welcome all our guests who have traveled so far to be here. Thank you for showing support for Taiwan through your actions. Let us continue to work hand in hand to promote global peace, prosperity, and development.
Rihards Kols, chair of the 2025 Formosa Club Annual Conference and member of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for the warm reception. He noted that hospitality is something that defines Taiwan and its people, and that he believes everyone in attendance has experienced this hospitality. He went on to say that as chair of this year’s annual conference, he sends best regards from Chair Michael Gahler of the Formosa Club in the European Parliament, adding that Chair Gahler reaffirms the work they have concluded in the past two days on both the joint statement and the discussions related to undersea cables, the challenges that face democracies, and how the European Union, Europe, and Taiwan must collaborate in order to tackle these issues.
Chair Kols then acknowledged and extended appreciation to Taiwan for its support for Ukraine, as well as for imposing sanctions where necessary to avoid circumvention.
The chair then presented the joint statement from the conference, stating that it not only reflects the efforts of the Formosa Club on ongoing issues, but also focuses on enhancing the partnership with Taiwan, be it representation in international arenas or the meaningful representation of Taiwan, adding that this is something they will work on hands-on. He also noted that people-to-people relations is something they keep dear to their hearts and will promote whenever possible.
Els Van Hoof, head of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives delegation, then delivered remarks, stating that Taiwan, Belgium, and the members of the Formosa Club share the values of democracy, human rights, and rule of law, making us natural allies in the shared threat of China and Russia. She indicated that the Belgian Parliament has already adopted a resolution against the distortion of UN Resolution 2758, and now will discuss risk management for undersea cables, adding that there has to be cooperation. She expressed hope to continue working together and deepen cooperation on risk management, creating a global shield of democratic resilience.
Erin McGreehan, member of the Chamber of Representatives of Ireland and head of the Irish cross-party parliamentary delegation, then delivered remarks. Ireland and Taiwan, she said, are two very proud island nations who believe in self-determination, democracy, human rights, and freedom. She expressed her belief that we must work together in this troubled time of global unrest and conflict to secure all our futures, stating that we will do that only through dialogue, cooperation, acceptance of difference, and ability to embrace new opportunities. She mentioned that for Ireland and Europe, she sees Taiwan as their opportunity, not only to support a democratic country in Asia, but to enhance economic, educational, and cultural ties. She then said that they have much to do and much to look forward to.
Thorsten Benner, co-chair of the delegation of European opinion leaders and co-founder and director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, then delivered remarks. He said that it is a pleasure for him to be in Taiwan for the first time, noting that their group is eager to learn about Taiwan and how they can deal with shared challenges. He then mentioned examples of such challenges, including our aging societies and the younger generations’ feeling of uncertainty about their future prospects.
Justyna Szczudlik, co-chair of the delegation of European opinion leaders and deputy head of research at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, then delivered remarks. She said that their delegation is here because they would like to experience democracy in Asia and in Taiwan, where they have felt its vibrancy. Noting that we are living in turbulent times because of many things ongoing in different parts of the world, she said that there is a consensus in Europe – and not only in Europe – that the security of Europe, of Asia, and of the Taiwan Strait are interconnected. She pointed out that it is in our common interest to work together and to focus on security, the most important topic for Europe, Asia, and Taiwan. In closing, she expressed thanks for President Lai’s meeting with them and for the enormous hospitality they have received, adding that they hope to be back next year.
