EU-Taiwan Relations in a New Reality: What Lies Ahead?
Oxford Taiwan Studies Seminar Series
Introduction
Brussels has secured a place for “Taiwan as a partner” in its political discourse. This dynamic cannot be understood in isolation; it is important to situate the relationship within the larger geopolitical picture, particularly considering the implications of China’s support for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Taiwan has also sought to better position itself vis-à-vis Europe by engaging with member states, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as with the EU as a bloc. Ultimately, however, beyond a Taiwan-friendly European Parliament and a more assertive European Commission, what matters most is the extent to which member states are willing to engage with Taiwan and push back against an assertive China. So far, member states’ political will has been only half-hearted. Questions remain on how to expand cooperation with Taiwan in a way that both increases the EU’s role in shaping Taiwan’s future and empowers Taiwan to exercise agency. Taiwan’s geostrategic relevance is likely to grow in the Indo-Pacific, a region of great significance to the EU’s own interests. Protecting these will require a more engaged Europe.
About the Speaker
Dr. Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy is an Affiliated Scholar at the Department of Political Science at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, an Associated Research Fellow at the Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP Stockholm), Head of the Associates Network at 9DASHLINE, and a Fellow at Agora Strategy, Munich. Based in Taiwan, Zsuzsa is also an Assistant Professor at National Dong Hwa University in Hualien. Between 2008 and 2020, she worked as a political advisor in the European Parliament. In May 2019, she published her book Europe, China, and the Limits of Normative Power. Her second book, Partners in Peace: Why Europe and Taiwan Matter to Each Other, was published in October 2024. Zsuzsa is a regular commentator in international media outlets, and she tweets at @zsuzsettte.
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