Think Tank: Czech Republic Helps Europe Re-understand Taiwan, Becomes De-risking Strategic Partner

The Central European think tank "Central European Institute of Asian Studies" (CEIAS) recently published a report on its website titled "Making Taiwan Legible in Europe: Czech Parliamentary Diplomacy and the EU’s Turn to De-risking."

The report points out that the Czech Republic, as a medium-sized EU member state, has successfully exerted influence disproportionate to its size in European-level policy debates on China and Taiwan through parliamentary diplomacy, public discussion, and exposing the risks of Chinese economic coercion.

The study analyzes that the visit of Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil to Taiwan in 2020 was a significant turning point in Europe's relations with Taiwan. China's diplomatic pressure and economic threats against Vystrčil not only failed to prevent related exchanges but instead prompted Czech society and European decision-making circles to pay more attention to the link between economic dependence and political coercion.

The study further analyzes that the Czech experience is not an isolated case. From Norway and Australia to Lithuania, many countries, after facing Chinese economic pressure, have gradually begun to frame China-related issues within the context of national security and economic security.

For example, Lithuania's establishment of a "Taiwan Representative Office" in 2021 and the subsequent Chinese economic sanctions directly prompted the EU to accelerate the development of the "Anti-Coercion Instrument," strengthening the EU's ability to respond to economic coercion.

The report notes that the Czech Republic was a pioneer in issuing national security warnings against Huawei and ZTE equipment in 2018, becoming an important precursor to subsequent EU discussions on 5G security and strategic autonomy. Policy discussions promoted jointly by the Czech Republic, Baltic states, Nordic countries, and the Netherlands have gradually changed Europe's cognitive framework regarding China, viewing it not only as an economic partner but also as a potential source of security risk.

Against this backdrop, Taiwan's importance has gained a new positioning. The report emphasizes that Europe's attention to Taiwan has gradually extended from democratic values to areas such as semiconductors, digital transformation, technological innovation, and supply chain resilience. Taiwan is not only a like-minded democratic partner but also an important cooperation partner that Europe cannot ignore in promoting its economic security strategy.

CEIAS points out that the Czech case demonstrates that through parliamentary diplomacy and responses to external pressure, small and medium-sized countries can also influence the European policy agenda and promote Europe's re-understanding of Taiwan's strategic role.

The report concludes that the increased visibility of Taiwan in European policy discussions is not the result of a single event but a consequence of Europe's gradual realization that issues such as supply chain dependence, economic coercion, and democratic resilience are interconnected. As the EU continues to promote de-risking policies, Taiwan's importance is expected to continue to rise.

CEIAS is an independent transnational think tank headquartered in Slovakia, dedicated to researching Asian political, economic, and security issues, as well as interactions and policy developments between Europe and Asia.