President Lai Ching-te has warned that both the island and the European Union are facing increasing threats from external interference, including efforts to undermine democratic institutions and manipulate electoral processes.
Speaking in Taipei on Tuesday during a meeting with a visiting delegation from the European Parliament, Lai underlined the shared values between Taiwan and the EU and called for greater cooperation in safeguarding democratic governance.
The delegation from the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield was received at the presidential office during a period of intensified global concern over foreign interference in domestic politics. Lai stressed that both Taiwan and the European Union are contending with similar tactics of infiltration and disinformation, largely orchestrated by authoritarian actors seeking to destabilise democratic societies.
“In recent years, both [Taiwan and the EU] have encountered information interference and infiltration by external forces which have attempted to manipulate the results of democratic elections, create confrontation in society, and shake people’s confidence in democracy,” Lai said, according to a statement released by his office.
The island has long accused the People’s Republic of China of engaging in disinformation campaigns, election meddling, and influence operations designed to undermine public confidence in the government. These accusations have been consistently rejected by Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and views the current administration as promoting separatism.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic activity between China and the EU. On Monday, Beijing confirmed it would host a high-level EU-China summit this week, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. The summit is expected to address ongoing trade disputes and broader geopolitical tensions, with Brussels seeking to balance its economic engagement with China while maintaining support for Taiwan as a democratic partner.
Although the EU does not formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state, it has developed robust unofficial ties with the island, particularly in the areas of trade, technology, and democratic governance. The European Parliament has in recent years passed a number of resolutions urging closer cooperation with Taipei, including joint efforts to counter disinformation and foreign interference.
In his remarks, President Lai drew a parallel between China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait and Russia’s activities in Europe, which many EU member states view as aimed at undermining confidence in democratic institutions. European governments have accused Moscow of attempting to destabilise EU politics through cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and covert funding of fringe political movements. Russia denies these claims.
Lai characterised the island as being on the “frontline of the world’s defence of democracy” and said it is committed to sharing its experience with like-minded partners.
“Democracies work not to fight against anyone, but to safeguard a treasured way of life, just as Europe strives to promote the spirit of pluralism and human rights,” he said.
The president also emphasised the importance of reinforcing global democratic solidarity amid growing pressure from authoritarian states. He highlighted the island’s determination to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and its willingness to engage more closely with European partners on matters of cyber security, election integrity, and democratic resilience.
While the EU maintains a ‘One China’ policy — recognising the government in Beijing as China’s sole legal authority — it continues to express concern over rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and has called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences. European officials have also voiced support for the island’s participation in international organisations where statehood is not a requirement, such as the World Health Assembly.
The European Parliament’s Democracy Shield committee, set up to investigate and counter attempts to undermine EU democratic institutions, has made multiple fact-finding visits in recent years, including to countries deemed vulnerable to foreign interference. The visit is seen as part of broader efforts to align democracies facing comparable hybrid threats.
This article was originally published on euglobal.news
Presidential elections in Taiwan subjected to China’s interference, European Parliament told
