On 25 March 2026, the European Values Center for Security Policy (EVC) organized the 5th Czechia–Taiwan Forum in Taipei as a full-day platform for policy dialogue on democratic resilience and security cooperation between Taiwan and Czechia. Bringing together experts from Taiwan, Czechia, and the broader Central and Eastern European region, the Forum highlighted the concrete outcomes of EVC’s long-term networking and cooperation between its Prague and Taipei offices. The Forum focused on how Taiwan and Czechia can work together to strengthen the resilience of democratic institutions and processes in a rapidly changing international environment. Discussions were structured around three core thematic panels—Safeguarding Democratic Resilience in the Era of Polycrisis, Exploring the Role of Migrants in Resilience-Building Policy Initiatives, and The Role of Influencers in Promoting Information Integrity—and addressed responses to the “polycrisis,” the role of migrants in resilience-building, and the importance of influencers and digital actors in safeguarding information integrity. Participation from across Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, further underlined the transnational nature of the challenges under discussion, with contributions from Ukrainian experts such as Mykhailo Samus, Director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, Kristina Zeleniuk, Associate Fellow at the New Europe Center, and Nataliya Butyrska, Senior Fellow at the New Europe Center.The Czech delegation of democratic resilience experts, organized by the EVC Taiwan Office, included Gabriela Svárovská, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and Co-Chair of the Czech Green Party; Magda Faltová, Director of the Association for Integration and Migration; and Michal Beneš, Secretary General of the Association of Online Media and Content Creators (ATOM).
The Forum opened with remarks by Marcin Jerzewski, Head of the EVC Taiwan Office, Eric Huang, Director General of the Department of European Affairs at Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan), and Kuan-Ting Chen, Member of the Legislative Yuan and Co-Convener of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. Together, their remarks underscored the shared values underpinning Taiwan–Czechia relations and the importance of strengthening cooperation in the face of growing geopolitical and security challenges. Jerzewski emphasized that despite increasing external pressures, both Taiwan and Czechia remain firmly committed to the path of democratization and highlighted the need to deepen mutual understanding of democratic resilience beyond traditional alliances. Huang stressed that Taiwan and Czechia are connected through freedom, democracy, and human rights, while also pointing to the expanding range of authoritarian tools—including military pressure, foreign information manipulation, economic coercion, and industrial espionage—used against Taiwan. Chen highlighted the importance of cooperation among middle powers, noting that closer ties with European partners can serve as a catalyst for strengthening Taiwan’s security and international engagement.
The program also featured a special address by Jakub Janda, who presented insights from EVC’s simulations of potential crisis scenarios involving coordinated pressure from China, Russia, and North Korea. His remarks focused on the early stages of escalation, including maritime pressure, economic coercion, and the strategic calculations underpinning potential conflict scenarios. He emphasized that prior to any direct confrontation, decision-makers would weigh not only military feasibility but also economic consequences and political legitimacy, highlighting in particular the importance of potential European responses as a key variable in shaping strategic outcomes.
Panel discussions provided further depth across the Forum’s core themes. The panel on safeguarding democratic resilience in the era of polycrisis explored the interconnected nature of global crises and emphasized that resilience depends not only on state capacity but also on public trust, societal engagement, and international cooperation. Speakers drew parallels between Taiwan and Ukraine, highlighting shared vulnerabilities such as infrastructure threats and information manipulation, while stressing the importance of maintaining democratic legitimacy under pressure.
The panel on the role of migrants in resilience-building policy initiatives highlighted the active contribution of migrant communities to societal resilience. Drawing on examples from the Czech Republic and Ukraine, speakers emphasized that migrants should not be viewed solely as recipients of assistance but as key actors in crisis response. Discussions also addressed structural challenges in Taiwan, including labor conditions and social inclusion, underscoring the need for more inclusive policies, multilingual communication, and stronger trust between institutions and migrant communities.
The panel on influencers and information integrity examined the rapidly evolving digital information environment and the growing role of content creators in shaping public discourse. Speakers highlighted the risks posed by foreign interference, including coordinated disinformation campaigns and the instrumentalization of influencers, while also emphasizing their potential as partners in strengthening information resilience. The discussion pointed to declining trust in traditional media, the rise of social media as a primary news source, and the need for stronger ethical standards, media literacy, and cross-sector cooperation to address these challenges.
Among the discussions that attracted public attention was the debate on energy security in the context of democratic resilience. According to Taiwanese media coverage of the Forum, Gabriela Svárovská described the current global context as one of “polycrisis,” stressing that investment in adaptation and reduced dependence on fossil fuels is necessary not only because of climate change, but also for ensuring price stability, economic resilience, and strategic security. In discussing Czech energy policy, she noted that nuclear power has long occupied a central place in the Czech energy mix and remains politically significant, while also warning of structural challenges such as delays, rising costs, and geopolitical dependencies. The energy panel also featured Ukrainian military expert Mykhailo Samus of the New Geopolitics Research Network, who brought Ukraine’s wartime experience into the discussion. Referring to the vulnerability of energy infrastructure under military attack, he argued that while Ukraine’s remaining nuclear reactors have become crucial for the country’s energy security, the broader lesson points toward the importance of decentralization. These exchanges resonated strongly with ongoing debates in Taiwan regarding energy infrastructure, nuclear power, and national resilience, illustrating how questions of energy policy, democratic security, and societal resilience are increasingly intertwined.
Throughout the Forum, speakers also underscored the importance of cross-party cooperation and international partnerships, with the presence of representatives from across Taiwan’s political spectrum reinforcing the Forum’s role as an inclusive platform for dialogue on shared democratic challenges.
The Forum concluded with a keynote by Chi-chen Johnny Chiang, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Yuan, who highlighted the importance of Taiwan–Czechia relations as a bridge between Europe and Asia, grounded in both economic and societal ties. Reflecting on his personal engagement with Czechia, he described the partnership as complementary and emphasized that addressing the challenges of the polycrisis requires unity not only at the governmental level, but also across societies. Through its fifth edition, the Czechia–Taiwan Forum once again affirmed its role as a flagship platform of the EVC Taiwan Office, with EVC continuing to actively facilitate dialogue and deepen cooperation among like-minded democratic partners.
