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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Producer: Emily Y. Wu
Researcher: Zack Chiang, Zoe Hu, Hai-Ahn Nguyen
Editing: Wayne Tsai

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Matej &Scaron;imalč&iacute;k 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 <a href="https://ceias.eu/partners-in-need-partners-indeed-europe-taiwan-relations/">new report</a> &ldquo;Partners in need, partners indeed? Tracking Europe-Taiwan relations amidst global disruption&rdquo; is an updated overview of Taiwan&rsquo;s relations with 30 European countries. &Scaron;imalč&iacute;k&rsquo;s research looks at China&rsquo;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 &Scaron;imalč&iacute;k was a visiting fellow at Taiwan&rsquo;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.&nbsp; Key decisions makers mentioned today include Andrej Babi&scaron; (Czech Prime Minister, since December 2025; 2017-2021), Lin Chia-lung (Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs, since 2024 ), Milo&scaron; Vystrčil (Czech Senate President, since 2020), Zdeněk Hřib (Mayor of Prague 2028-2023), Mark&eacute;ta Pekarov&aacute; Adamov&aacute; (President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament 2021-2025), Marek Žen&iacute;&scaron;ek (Czech Minister of Science, 2024-2025), Milo&scaron; Zeman (Czech President 2013-2023), V&aacute;clav 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&rsquo; relations with Taiwan into four categories: - &ldquo;Old Partners&rdquo; - countries with existing long-term ties with Taiwan: UK, France, and Germany. - &ldquo;New Friends&rdquo; - the Central and European countries that are actively engaging with Taiwan: Czechia, Lithuania, and Poland. - &ldquo;Pragmatists&rdquo; - countries having concerns with engaging with Taiwan but still enjoying economic benefits with Taiwan. - &ldquo;Laggards&rdquo; - countries having underdeveloped relations with Taiwan. Although the engagement between Taiwan and some European countries remains low, &Scaron;imalč&iacute;k has seen a small uptake since 2022. This indicates that Taiwan&rsquo;s engagement with &ldquo;old partners&rdquo; and &ldquo;new friends&rdquo; is setting an example for other countries. Link to &ldquo;Partners in need, partners indeed? Tracking Europe-Taiwan relations amidst global disruption&rdquo;: <a href="https://ceias.eu/partners-in-need-partners-indeed-europe-taiwan-relations/">https://ceias.eu/partners-in-need-partners-indeed-europe-taiwan-relations/</a> Support us by donating on Patreon&nbsp;<a href="http://patreon.com/taiwan">http://patreon.com/taiwan</a> Producer: Emily Y. Wu Researcher: Zack Chiang, Zoe Hu, Hai-Ahn Nguyen Editing: Wayne Tsai Follow and tag us on social media: Ghost Island Media | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostislandme/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ghostislandme/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostislandme">Twitter</a> A Ghost Island Media production: <a href="http://www.ghostisland.media">www.ghostisland.media</a>

A current affairs podcast on Taiwan and the world. Every episode, we invite a journalist to a conversation with an expert to get the big picture context of what we need to know. These are global issues, and this is The Taiwan Take. 

Nominated for Best News Podcast at 2020 Excellent Journalism Award in Taiwan. Produced by Ghost Island Media in Taipei, Taiwan.

2020年台灣卓越新聞獎 Podcast 新聞獎入圍者．這是一個專門討論臺灣時事的訪談性英文節目， 以「縱觀世界議題，以臺灣觀點論述」為主軸，由記者採訪跨領域專家、名人與來賓等，第一手將臺灣的故事推向國際．

鬼島之音製作播出．

A current affairs podcast on Taiwan and the world. Every episode, we invite a journalist to a conversation with an expert to get the big picture context of what we need to know. These are global issues, and this is The Taiwan Take. Nominated for Best News Podcast at 2020 Excellent Journalism Award in Taiwan.&nbsp;Produced by Ghost Island Media in Taipei, Taiwan. 2020年台灣卓越新聞獎 Podcast 新聞獎入圍者．這是一個專門討論臺灣時事的訪談性英文節目， 以「縱觀世界議題，以臺灣觀點論述」為主軸，由記者採訪跨領域專家、名人與來賓等，第一手將臺灣的故事推向國際． 鬼島之音製作播出．