On November 7th, Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te made a surprise appearance at the European Parliament, speaking at the IPAC (Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China) summit and becoming the first sitting Taiwan vice president to deliver a speech at the European Parliament. China has claimed to have made a “solemn representation” to the European side. Experts point out that this is not only a significant breakthrough for Taiwan’s diplomacy but also a slap in the face to Chinese espionage and propaganda efforts.
Vice President Lai Ching-te was invited to speak at the IPAC summit, presenting on the topic “Taiwan: A Trustworthy Partner in a Turbulent World.” During her speech, she detailed the military pressure, grey zone coercion actions, cyber attacks, disinformation operations, economic pressures, infrastructure destruction, and foreign intervention challenges facing Taiwan.
Lai Ching-te also emphasized Taiwan’s democratic system, its crucial role in the global economy, and expressed hopes for deepening cooperation with countries in trade, technology, societal resilience, global participation, and peace in the Taiwan Strait. She stated, “A resilient Taiwan represents a stable Indo-Pacific region, which also signifies a safer world.”
After her speech, IPAC posted on social media platform X, praising Vice President Lai Ching-te for delivering a “groundbreaking speech” at the IPAC Brussels 25 summit.
According to reports from the Central News Agency, following Lai Ching-te’s speech, lawmakers from various countries in attendance stood up and applauded, many taking photos with her, engaging in discussions, or reminiscing, creating a touching atmosphere.
IPAC Taiwan co-chairs Fan Yun of the Democratic Progressive Party and Chen Chao-tsai of the People First Party welcomed this historic breakthrough. Chen mentioned that it is indeed a diplomatic breakthrough for Taiwan to step onto the international political stage, a development that both she as an individual and her party welcome. Fan expressed his honor at witnessing and participating in this historical moment, noting it was the first time a vice president of Taiwan had spoken at the European Parliament.
In response, Beijing expressed strong indignation and firm opposition, lodging a solemn representation with the European side.
Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party Xu Guoyong remarked, “If China (CCP) is unhappy about everything, then we should just let it continue to be unhappy.”
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), established in June 2020, is an alliance consisting of over 40 countries and nearly 300 bipartisan parliamentarians. Its aim is to coordinate democratic countries’ policies towards China and collectively address the challenges posed by China to global politics, human rights, and security. Taiwan officially joined IPAC in 2024, highlighting Taiwan’s strategic importance within the global democratic camp.
On the morning of November 9th, Lai Ching-te, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, and their delegation flew back to Taiwan. At Taoyuan Airport, Lai Ching-te expressed her honor and emotion in being able to share Taiwan’s importance and responsibilities with IPAC members. Reflecting on her speech, she cited the saying from Mencius, “With the Way, one receives much help,” highlighting Taiwan’s kindness, love for freedom, efforts, and willingness to contribute to the world positively, expressing, “As long as we walk the right path, we will gain more international recognition and assistance.”
Professor Yeh Yao-yuan of St. Thomas University stated to reporters that this was a significant diplomatic breakthrough for Taiwan. He emphasized that having a Taiwanese vice president invited to speak at the European Parliament underlines a monumental step forward, unprecedented since Taiwan’s isolation in international circles, dating back to the 1970s.
“This signifies a strong breakthrough for Taiwan in diplomacy, allowing more countries to understand Taiwan’s predicament. It also indicates that these countries are willing to give Taiwan a higher level of visibility, showcasing itself as a sovereign and independent nation,” Yeh said. While most countries do not have diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, Taiwan’s global presence indicates understanding and support from the majority of nations.
Researcher Shen Ming-shih of the Taiwan Institute of National Defense and Security Studies also noted that Lai Ching-te’s speech at the European Parliament was a significant diplomatic breakthrough for Taiwan. By effectively conveying Taiwan’s democratic values and bravely addressing the various threats from China, it demonstrates the importance of standing together with democratic and allied countries to counter China’s military threats.
A report by the Central News Agency on November 9th revealed that Lai Ching-te’s visit to Europe was kept secret not only from the press but also from the attending lawmakers of various countries. Foreign media coverage focused on the extreme secrecy surrounding her visit to prevent interference from Beijing.
Shen Ming-shih commented that Lai Ching-te speaking at the European Parliament caught China off guard, leading to their annoyance. He mentioned the significant infiltration of China into Taiwan, even within the Presidential Office having spies. This level of secrecy during Lai’s visit was crucial to prevent sabotage by China, recalling an incident in March 2024 when Lai’s schedule in the Czech Republic was leaked, resulting in Chinese military officials tailing her, nearly causing a car accident.
He believed that Lai Ching-te’s speech at the European Parliament received significant attention, opening up the possibility for more similar activities in the future, such as a presidential visit and speech.
Yeh Yao-yuan highlighted that China’s extensive propaganda suffered a significant blow, stating that Lai Ching-te’s speech was a smack in the face to China, indicating a lack of credibility in China’s narrative. He noted that previously due to China’s market influence, Taiwan was often excluded from discussions or official invitations. Yet, IPAC’s invitation to Lai Ching-te signifies cross-border consensus.
He expressed that even though all these countries are diplomatic allies of China, theoretically required to support the so-called “One China Principle;” their lack of support for this principle shows a decrease in China’s influence.
Shen Ming-shih also emphasized that due to trade issues, relations between China and Europe have yet to fully recover. He elaborated that on issues of democracy and values, if China escalates pressure on Taiwan, democratic-minded European countries would oppose this, sympathize more with Taiwan’s situation, and strengthen ties with Taiwan, ultimately impacting China-Europe relations.