Europe continues to express concern over the situation in the Taiwan Strait. The Polish government has, for the first time, publicly stated that it is highly concerned about the Taiwan Strait situation and opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo.
A delegation from the European Parliament’s “Security and Defence Committee” visited Taiwan in late March and stated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are tied to Europe’s security and prosperity, opposing any unilateral use of force or coercion to alter the status quo.
Poland expresses stance for the first time, opposing changes to the Taiwan Strait status quo by force
According to a report by the Central News Agency, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on April 1 stating that the website of Poland’s Sejm (lower house of parliament) recently published a written response from Władysław Bartoszewski, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to an inquiry raised by Member of Parliament and lawyer, Kacper Płażyński.
Bartoszewski indicated that the situation in the Indo-Pacific region is of utmost importance to ensuring Poland’s security, prosperity, and international standing. He noted that Poland is concerned about the rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and opposes any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion. He also opposes any territorial changes carried out through “grey-zone” tactics that violate international law.
In response to the Polish government’s first public expression of this position, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed sincere welcome and gratitude. The ministry stated that Poland and Taiwan share universal values such as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, and that bilateral relations have continued to deepen in recent years on this basis. It added that Taiwan will continue to promote substantive cooperation and exchanges with Poland and other like-minded countries to jointly uphold the rules-based international order and safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity globally and in the Indo-Pacific region.
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European Parliament: Opposes unilateral changes to the Taiwan Strait status quo through force or coercion
According to a report by Liberty Times, during a meeting with President Lai Ching-te, the Chair of the European Parliament’s Security and Defence Committee—on their first visit to Taiwan—stated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait will affect Europe’s security and prosperity, and that Europe opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo through force or coercion.
An 11-member official delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), led by Chair Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (from Germany), visited Taiwan from March 30 to April 2. This marks the committee’s first official delegation visit to Taiwan since it was upgraded in 2025 from a subcommittee under the Committee on Foreign Affairs to a full standing committee.
Strack-Zimmermann stated that although members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence come from different countries and political groups, they share a common goal: to deepen understanding, enhance listening, and strengthen cooperation with Taiwan.
She noted that this visit comes at a time of severe international tensions. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East have drawn significant global attention, and Europe is increasingly recognizing the realities of security and geopolitics. She pointed out that the overall strategic environment is becoming more unstable, raising concerns about whether new risks may emerge for Taiwan.
Security environment is growing more complex
Strack-Zimmermann said that from Russia to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific region, wars or the threat of war demonstrate that the current security environment is growing more complex and uncertain. Europe must respond cautiously and it seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the overall situation.
“In addition, Taiwan is of great importance to the European Union—not only as a democratic country, but also as a key economic and technological partner, and an important member of the global trading system. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are not only regional concerns, but also affect Europe’s security and prosperity.”
She further pointed out that, due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe is undergoing a significant transformation and continues to strengthen its security and defense measures. It aims to increase investment to enhance preparedness and resilience, as well as to strengthen the security of critical technologies and supply chains. Although Europe and Taiwan face different circumstances, they share common challenges and impacts.
Strack-Zimmermann emphasized, “Europe supports stability and dialogue, opposes coercion and any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force. This position is clear and firm, and Europe will continue to adopt a responsible and pragmatic approach.”
She added that deeper cooperation between the EU and Taiwan in areas such as secure supply chains, semiconductors, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and defense industry resilience is not only about the economy but also about security. She expressed hope that both sides will continue to deepen cooperation in a more practical manner in the future.
By Li Jingyao, Vision Times