Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen congratulated Ursula von der Leyen on her re-election as the President of the European Commission on July 19. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also extended its congratulations, noting that under von der Leyen’s leadership, Taiwan-EU relations have continued to strengthen, and expressing gratitude for her concern for the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
President Tsai Ing-wen took to social media platform X to congratulate Ursula von der Leyen on her re-election. She expressed her appreciation for von der Leyen’s steadfast support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. President Tsai looks forward to enhancing the relationship between Taiwan and the EU based on the shared values of human rights and democracy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan released a press statement congratulating Ursula von der Leyen on her successful re-election as the President of the European Commission following a vote by the European Parliament on July 18. In her political guidelines for the second term (Political Guidelines 2024-2029), von der Leyen mentioned plans to cooperate with Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia to jointly counter unilateral attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by military means. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly conveyed its congratulations and appreciation for von der Leyen’s strong support and concern for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait through platform X.
Under the leadership of President von der Leyen, the European Commission has been continuously strengthening its relationship with Taiwan. In the “EU-Indo-Pacific Cooperation Strategy” report released in 2021, Taiwan was recognized for the first time as an important cooperation partner for the EU in the Indo-Pacific region. The report also highlighted the intention to jointly build diverse and resilient semiconductor value chains, deepen bilateral trade and investment relations, and recognize that the security of the Taiwan Strait directly impacts Europe’s security and prosperity.
President von der Leyen has repeatedly emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in bilateral and multilateral international forums in recent years.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan stated that as a partner with the EU sharing core values such as democracy, freedom, human rights, and rule of law, Taiwan will continue to collaborate with the EU to strengthen economic partnerships, establish resilient supply chains in strategic industries such as semiconductors, promote digital economy, green energy, technology, culture, and enhance cooperation in various fields. Together, Taiwan and the EU aim to defend the rule-based international order and create a new chapter of mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation between the two parties.