Taiwan’s ex-President Tsai will visit Brussels next week

BRUSSELS — Taiwan’s ex-President Tsai Ing-wen will visit Brussels next week to meet European Union lawmakers, the first time a former Taiwanese leader has traveled to the EU capital.

Tsai, who stepped down earlier this year, had already confirmed a visit to Prague later this week. The Taiwanese government is keeping the rest of her trip low-profile. Taiwanese media reported that she would also visit France.

The “visit to Belgium is aimed at wide interaction with Taiwan-friendly lawmakers and think tank scholars and experts, in order to continue to push for a substantive friendly relationship between Taiwan and Europe,” the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium told POLITICO on Thursday.

It remains unclear if Tsai will meet EU officials.

Tsai’s visit comes amid friction between the EU and China, as the two sides are engaged in a trade war, with Brussels confirming tariffs against made-in-China electric vehicles. Beijing retaliated with duties against French brandy, while threatening action against Europe’s car industry as well as pork and dairy exporters.

It also coincides with escalating military tensions between Beijing and Taipei. Like Tsai, current President Lai Ching-te is part of the Democratic Progressive Party, which Beijing sees as advocating Taiwanese independence. Fear is growing that Beijing might start a new round of military drills around Taiwan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in July she would seek to “deter China” from invading Taiwan.

No EU country recognizes Taiwanese sovereignty but they insist on the right to engage with Taiwan economically and culturally. Efforts have also stepped up between European governments and Taipei to work on fighting disinformation, especially amid China’s open support for the Russian economy that the West is seeking to sanction.

Beijing has demanded the Czech Republic “not to provide facilitation for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces in any form.”

During her presidency, Tsai played a key role in widening the connection between Taiwan and Europe. The EU has made it a regular topic to warn Chinese officials not to invade the island, which has been a separate entity since 1949.

Taiwan’s world-leading semiconductor firm TSMC set up a new plant in Germany this year, while Taipei is reaching out to Central Europe about related industries further down the supply chain.

Europe hardened its stance on China after Lithuania was hit by Chinese trade restrictions after the Baltic country approved the setting up of a Taiwanese diplomatic office in 2021.