Polands Growing Support for Taiwan

In early September 2021, the Polish government donated 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan. This was enthusiastically welcomed by Taiwan, and raised hope that relations between Warsaw and Taipei might improve. However, this does not translate to a sudden strong support for Taiwan in its efforts to be recognized as an independent state. Officials in Poland maintain that their donation is simply a gesture of goodwill and friendship.

Polish Authorities Donate 400,000 Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine to Taiwan

The recent donation of 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Polish authorities to Taiwan has generated speculation about a change in Warsaw's stance towards Beijing. Some view this as a sign of growing support between the two countries. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has praised the Taiwanese government for their generous donation to Poland at the beginning of the fight against pandemic. Taiwan donated one million face masks, 5,000 protective suits, and 20,000 surgical gowns to Poland at the beginning of the fight against this epidemic. Warsaw remembered this aid and donated vaccines as a gesture of solidarity between Taiwan and Central Europe.  This act was praised by Taiwanese Ambassador to Poland Hsieh Li-kung who said that "Taiwan is willing to share its expertise in caring for patients with diseases". The ambassador also added that he appreciates how quickly his country's response was given; according to him it took.

Taiwan grateful for growing Polish support

As the global pandemic of COVID-19 continues to spread, Taiwan has found a friend in Europe. The Central European country of Poland has voiced its support for the island nation, with officials from both countries expressing gratitude on social media. This show of solidarity is especially poignant as Taiwan faces increasing pressure from Beijing to rejoin China. The Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that it will be receiving a donation of vaccines from the Polish government. This is the third such donation that Taiwan has received from abroad, with previous donations coming from Germany and Japan. The Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) has also expressed appreciation for the donation, even though it theoretically supports the policies of the Chinese Communist Party. This shows that cross-party support for Taiwan is growing in central Europe.

Poland continues to show its support for Taiwan by donating much-needed vaccines to the country. Vaccines from Poland are the third largest donation that Taiwan has received from abroad. The largest one came from Japan (over three million doses of vaccines), followed by the US (2.5 million doses). Additionally, the Czech Republic sent 30,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines while Lithuania contributed 20,000 of them. In a show of solidarity, several Central and Eastern European countries have donated vaccines to Taiwan. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria are among the countries that have contributed to the effort. Additionally, Japan has pledged to send a third batch of the vaccine supply to help with the outbreak. The social media campaign surrounding this effort has been dubbed the "dumpling alliance." This comes as support for Taiwan grows in light of increasing pressure from China.

The Polish Office in Taipei donated 1,500 protective suits to the Taipei City Hall. During the pandemic, they helped Taiwanese students who were studying abroad return home. Warsaw chartered a LOT Polish Airlines plane for them to fly directly back to Taiwan.

Taiwan and Poland sign agreement to cooperate on criminal matters

A year ago, the first commercial flight between Warsaw and Taipei took place. This was a landmark event in the relationship between the two countries, as it signaled a deepening of ties. In February 2021, the Act on the Principles of Cooperation in Criminal Matters between Poland and Taiwan came into force. This agreement allows for cooperation between the two countries on criminal matters, including extradition. It is another step in strengthening relations between Poland and Taiwan. Polish apples are now being exported to Taiwan, and there are plans for further cooperation in other areas as well. Both countries see great potential in their relationship and are committed to deepening ties even further.

The Taiwanese-Polish Cooperation Committee was established in April 2018. Taipei’s Foreign Trade Office will be responsible for handling trade promotion, investment attraction, and other business-related matters in the Polish market. This year Taiwan’s exports to Poland increased by 4.39% reaching USD 1.23 billion while imports from Poland have also increased by 5%. In addition, the Foreign Trade Office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency was established in Taipei in September 2018 to promote business contacts and support investment.

Developing Business Between Poland and Taiwan

In 2020, Poland ranked 37th as Taiwan’s largest trading partner and 28th largest export market with bilateral trade between Taiwan and Poland at USD 1.23 billion. In central Europe, two nations are looking to bolster their economic ties - Taiwan and Poland.  Currently, Taiwan's exports to Poland amount to over USD 863 million while Polish exports to Taiwan are around USD 373 million. This year, both sides have pledged to increase cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and culture.  There are currently about 31 Taiwanese companies with investments in Poland, and this number is only expected to grow in the years ahead. With both economies growing steadily, it is clear that closer cooperation between these two countries will be beneficial for all involved.

Bartosz Ryś, acting Chief of the Polish Office in Taipei, said in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) that "Taiwan is an attractive trade partner for Poland and, I believe, for other countries in Central and Eastern Europe." According to him, Poland can be a good place to relocate manufacturing and business operations.  In order to support Taiwan's economic development through increased cooperation between Warsaw and Taipei this year. This announcement comes after the recent opening of a new representative office by the Polish Chamber of Commerce in Taipei which will focus on increasing investment from Asia into Central Europe. The establishment also plans to help Taiwanese companies set up production and manufacturing and business operations in Poland.

Finding Business Partners in Central and Eastern Europe

Taiwan is an important partner for Poland in Central Europe because of its economic performance and demographic trends, as well as opportunities for Polish products, such as beverages, chocolate, cosmetics, and ceramics on the Taiwanese market . Additionally he reported that more than 1,000 Taiwanese students are currently studying at universities in Poland.

With the recent cooperation between Taiwan and this important Central European country, Poland has gained a lot of popularity and sympathy among the Taiwanese public. This is most probably due to the fact that Poland was one of the few countries to offer help in this difficult time for Taiwan. The news organization CNA took interest in the Polish Office in Taipei, which allowed for the promotion of Polish products. This is a great opportunity for cooperation between Warsaw and Taipei this year.