It is my great pleasure to reach out to the people of Taiwan on the occasion of Polish National Day — the May 3, 1791, Constitution Day. On this day 232 years ago Poles approved a constitution — the first written act of its kind in Europe. It was an example of immense political innovation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth parliament, which empowered citizens by promoting freedom and equality.
To this day, it reminds us of the importance of cooperation and partnership of the like-minded nations. In this spirit, Poland — a successful central European economy that is strongly anchored in European and transatlantic institutions — is seeking to expand its cooperation with other partners who share our values.
Unprovoked and unjustified armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine causes us to reflect on matters that are fundamental for every participant in the international system. By continuously providing millions of US dollars and hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid to our war-torn neighbor since Feb. 24 last year, Taiwan took a clear stand. I am glad to see that our joint efforts in aiding Ukraine have helped us realize our common values and goals.
Last year, our economic cooperation visibly intensified as a result of Polish-Taiwanese consultations led by Polish Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology Grzegorz Piechowiak. Bilateral talks culminated in the signing of several agreements on cooperation in the fields of cutting-edge technologies, electromobility and environmental protection. Several months later, a delegation of Taiwanese trade representatives visited Poland. A new working group on semiconductors was established, creating a platform to discuss and coordinate collaboration in the field of technology.
In December last year, a Polish parliamentary delegation arrived in Taiwan to deepen the bilateral contacts. In March, Kaohsiung welcomed a large delegation of Polish mayors, who took part in the Smart City Summit & Expo.
We get to know each other better not only through reciprocal visits. The Taipei International Book Exhibition featured Poland as this year’s guest of honor of the popular event, a unique opportunity to present our rich literary culture and history in Taiwan. The Polish Pavilion offered several exhibitions dedicated to Polish history and literature. One of the exhibitions called “The Captains of Illustration from Poland” is still being shown in Taiwan in local libraries. I felt honored to see such a vivid interest of Taiwanese visitors in Polish culture. Our pavilion was always filled with guests.
Poland is the center of Europe, just like Taiwan is the center of Asia. We similarly benefit from our geographic positioning that make us attractive to foreign investors. Polish market is performing exceptionally well and is open for new investments in various sectors, from automotive and electromobility, electronics, information and communications technology to green technology and biotechnology. Representatives of Taiwania Capital investment fund specializing in such projects have already visited Poland twice this year looking for new opportunities.
In keeping with tradition, ideals and values of the 1791 constitution, Poland welcomes its closer cooperation with Taiwan, recalling the solidarity and mutual support in challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and instability caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I strongly believe that expanded economic, cultural cooperation as well as intensifying people-to-people contacts will further contribute to our already prosperous and stable relations.
Cyryl Kozaczewski is director of the Polish Office in Taipei.
Trying to force a partnership between Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and Intel Corp would be a wildly complex ordeal. Already, the reported request from the Trump administration for TSMC to take a controlling stake in Intel’s US factories is facing valid questions about feasibility from all sides. Washington would likely not support a foreign company operating Intel’s domestic factories, Reuters reported — just look at how that is going over in the steel sector. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan are concerned about the company being forced to transfer its bleeding-edge tech capabilities and give up its strategic advantage. This is especially
US President Donald Trump’s second administration has gotten off to a fast start with a blizzard of initiatives focused on domestic commitments made during his campaign. His tariff-based approach to re-ordering global trade in a manner more favorable to the United States appears to be in its infancy, but the significant scale and scope are undeniable. That said, while China looms largest on the list of national security challenges, to date we have heard little from the administration, bar the 10 percent tariffs directed at China, on specific priorities vis-a-vis China. The Congressional hearings for President Trump’s cabinet have, so far,
The US Department of State has removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” in its updated Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, which instead iterates that “we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait.” This shows a tougher stance rejecting China’s false claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Since switching formal diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China in 1979, the US government has continually indicated that it “does not support Taiwan independence.” The phrase was removed in 2022
US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have each given their thoughts on Russia’s war with Ukraine. There are a few proponents of US skepticism in Taiwan taking advantage of developments to write articles claiming that the US would arbitrarily abandon Ukraine. The reality is that when one understands Trump’s negotiating habits, one sees that he brings up all variables of a situation prior to discussion, using broad negotiations to take charge. As for his ultimate goals and the aces up his sleeve, he wants to keep things vague for
RSS