At Taiwan’s largest defense show, Europe raised its profile as countries consider helping Taiwan against China’s aggression. Taiwan has mainly relied on the U. S. for arms, avoiding European orders for 30 years due to fears of upsetting China, which claims Taiwan as its own. Taiwan believes only its people can decide their future.
Despite some European countries being cautious about defense cooperation with Taiwan, support has increased, especially from central and eastern Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo visited the Czech pavilion at the exhibition, where he met Czech Senate official Pavel Fischer, who acknowledged Taiwan’s complex position due to China’s influence.
For the first time, the German Trade Office Taipei participated in the exhibition, showcasing Germany’s advances in aerospace and security. Airbus also made its debut with a tactical drone designed for intelligence missions. Their display promoted not just commercial aircraft but also helicopter applications for various services.
Furthermore, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung visited European cities, signaling less anxiety about interacting with Taiwan. U. S. companies like Lockheed Martin were also prominent at the event, while Europe has historically supplied Taiwan with minimal major weaponry since the 1990s. However, Britain is helping Taiwan build its first indigenous submarines. An executive from a Taiwanese drone manufacturer noted that the global situation has resulted in increased willingness to engage with Taiwan.
With information from Reuters