On 28 January 2022 in central Taipei, European Values Center for Security Policy (EVC) held launch event of its Taiwan Office. Being the first private European think-tank with official legal presence in Taiwan, the Prague headquartered non-partisan institute introduced its plan to expand Central Europe-Taiwan cooperation. The physical EVC Office in Taipei will start operating during early spring of 2022 with permanent Taiwan-based staff. It can be contacted at [email protected]. Taipei-based analyst Marcin Jerzewski is responsible for content outputs and media inquiries at our newly launched Taipei Office.
“The upcoming decades will be about Chinese Communist Party attacking liberal democracies globally while Taiwan is the first line of defence. Therefore, it is clear that European democracies need to support defence and sovereignty of Taiwan while also learning from the best Taiwanese experts about this threat so we can protect our own institutions in Europe. There is a positive momentum among several brave Central European countries in opening up their political relations to Taiwan, so the job of security policy experts like ourselves and our Taiwanese friends is to use this diplomatic momentum for setting practical projects of cooperation and knowledge sharing.
My own experience here in Taiwan over last four months is clear – Taiwanese expert institutions are friendly and willing to share their knowledge, so that is what we are going to start doing. Our vision is that the EVC Taipei Office will serve as a Central European hub for practical national security focused cooperation and knowledge sharing. Our plans if to keep bringing Central European visiting fellows to our Taiwan Office, expand our security-related information exchange programs with friends like INDSR and others, or to keep bringing senior defence leaders from Europe – like the Czech Deputy Defence Minister who recently spoke at one of our roundtables we organised with INDSR,” said Jakub Janda, the EVC Director.
- Jakub Janda, Director of European Values Center for Security Policy
The following messages were delivered by invited speakers representing institutions with which EVC Taipei Office plans to cooperate:
- Message by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, delivered by Patrick Rumlar, Head of Czech Economic and Cultural Office Taipei
“The Czech Republic and Taiwan are traditionally close partners, united by a belief, with the same values and principles among which democracy and the protection of human rights are the most important. (..) I am glad that the spectrum of our cooperation has expanded today to include the permanent presence of a Czech think-tank in Taiwan. I wish European Values every success in their mission in Taiwan.”
- Foreign Minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Joseph Wu
“I’m very thrilled to see the EVC opens an office in Taipei. The establishment of the EVC Taipei office is an example of what can be achieved, when vibrant democracies work together. (..) It is my sincere hope that EVC’s Taipei office can share its expertise with researchers and institutions in Taiwan. I’m confident that these exchanges will produce valuable insights and practical countermeasures to combat hybrid threats of disinformation, cyber-attack, and economic coercion.”
- Sandra Oudkirk, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan
(…) from my personal experience I can vouch for the European Values Center as a forum for discussion, a way to surface ideas and to bring thinkers together. (…) the establishment of this Center highlights Taiwan’s contributions to the democratic values and beliefs that we share both with Taiwan and with our European partners. And it recognizes Taiwan’s critical role in regional security. Just as Europe has a lot to offer Taiwan, Taiwan as a primary target of PRC malign activity has a deep expertise that it can share with European partners. The European Values Center will provide a venue to share information and ideas of free and open matter. (..) So, Jakub (Janda, Director of EVC), we look forward to partnering with you.”
- I-Chung Lai, President of the Prospect Foundation
“(..) as the think tank executive what I’m looking for is partnership (..) to help us broaden our understanding on Central Eastern Europe. (..) I’m very glad that the EVC set its foot and came to Taiwan to establish this office so that we can further our relationship and partnership with the other like-minded organizations in the Central and Eastern Europe.”
- Chen-Wei Lin, CEO of Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR)
“Security alliances and defence planning in the region among like-minded foreigners, unthinkable before, have emerged in the past few years. This emerging trend should be supported by clear and consistent policy analysis (..) Who better than INDSR and EVC to handle such important work, right? (..) With European Values Center, here on the ground in Taipei, we can learn from each other, we can work together with each other on critical issues. Therefore, we can together be louder and speak out and be innovative, and be effective, and be grand.”
MENTIONED IN THE MEDIA
外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC（Taiwan):
https://www.mofa.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=96&sms=74&s=97243
FOCUS TAIWAN, CNA English News:
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202201280017?utm_source=ft.app&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=ftapp
Taiwan News:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4425410
Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/01/29/2003772282
外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/211271956064121/posts/1235556830302290/
外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MOFA_Taiwan/status/1487247787117133825
