TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislator Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, highlighted on Thursday (Aug. 10) the significance of the visit of the three Baltic foreign affairs committee heads to Taiwan on Aug. 6-11.
Mihkelson told TVBS News that the delegation team aimed to learn more about Taiwan under the "turbulent global security situation" and expressed hope to find more opportunities for democratic societies to cooperate in becoming more resilient amid the security situation around the Taiwan Strait.
Referring to the term "e-Estonia," the Estonia legislator underscored the advanced digital development of his country and praised the team's meeting with Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs, universities, and think tanks seeking potential cybersecurity-related collaborations.
Mihkelson hinted that "the European Union is the number one investor in Taiwan, but Taiwan's investments have not yet found the way that will lead to Europe," wishing to foster economic partnership between the Baltic states and Taiwan.
As TSMC has approved a plan to build the first factory in Germany by 2027, Mihkelson felt optimistic about the Taiwanese chipmaker's global expansion in Europe and the United States, stressing the importance of "having semiconductors, control of supply lines, and freedom of supply lines are incredibly important."
"When it comes to general security questions, it is not only about the economy but also about security," he added, despite uncertainty about whether the TSMC German fab would directly impact Estonia and other Baltic states.
Richards Kols of the Latvian Saeima and Zygimantas Pavilionis of the Lithuania Seimas were the other two visiting lawmakers in Taiwan for the six-day visit.