58. Taiwan-Europe Relations 2026: Matej Šimalčík (CEIAS)

Matej Šimalčík is the Executive Director of CEIAS (Central European Institute of Asian Studies), a think tank that focuses on foreign and security policy issues related to East Asia. Its new report “Partners in need, partners indeed? Tracking Europe-Taiwan relations amidst global disruption” is an updated overview of Taiwan’s relations with 30 European countries.

Šimalčík’s research looks at China’s economic and political presence and influence in Central Europe, elite relations, corrosive capital, and the role of European legal instruments in mitigating risks posed by China. In 2022, he founded the China-Europe Academic Engagement Tracker project. In 2025 Šimalčík was a visiting fellow at Taiwan’s INDSR (Institute for National Defense and Security Research).

Taiwan and Czechia relations are at an old time high, but results of the 2025 Czech parliamentary election has raised concerns on the future of the relations. 

Key decisions makers mentioned today include Andrej Babiš (Czech Prime Minister, since December 2025; 2017-2021), Lin Chia-lung (Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs, since 2024 ), Miloš Vystrčil (Czech Senate President, since 2020), Zdeněk Hřib (Mayor of Prague 2028-2023), Markéta Pekarová Adamová (President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament 2021-2025), Marek Ženíšek (Czech Minister of Science, 2024-2025), Miloš Zeman (Czech President 2013-2023), Václav Havel (first democratic president of the Czech Republic 1993-2003), Hu Jintao (Leader of China 2002-2012), Xi Jinping (Leader of China, since 2012).

The report divides the European countries’ relations with Taiwan into four categories:

- “Old Partners” - countries with existing long-term ties with Taiwan: UK, France, and Germany.

- “New Friends” - the Central and European countries that are actively engaging with Taiwan: Czechia, Lithuania, and Poland.

- “Pragmatists” - countries having concerns with engaging with Taiwan but still enjoying economic benefits with Taiwan.

- “Laggards” - countries having underdeveloped relations with Taiwan.

Although the engagement between Taiwan and some European countries remains low, Šimalčík has seen a small uptake since 2022. This indicates that Taiwan’s engagement with “old partners” and “new friends” is setting an example for other countries.

Link to “Partners in need, partners indeed? Tracking Europe-Taiwan relations amidst global disruption”: https://ceias.eu/partners-in-need-partners-indeed-europe-taiwan-relations/

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