Taiwan after the elections – Implications for Europe, China and global stability

This weekend, voters in Taiwan will elect a new president and parliament. The results could be of great geopolitical relevance. Mathieu Duchatel, Resident Senior Fellow and Director of International Studies at Institut Montaigne and Abigaël Vasselier, Director Policy & European Affairs and Head of Program Foreign Relations at MERICS assess the impact for policy makers and businesses in Europe during this exclusive online briefing for MERICS Members and key stakeholders. The event is moderated by Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications at MERICS.

In a year marked by elections across around the world, Taiwan’s are the first to take place and among the most important to watch. On January 13, the Taiwanese people will vote for their next President and legislative representatives. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has ruled for the past eight years, opposes the more conservative Kuomintang (KMT) over different views on Cross-Strait relations and national security. While DPP Vice-President William Lai is the front-runner, the margin is narrowing, and his rival Hou Yu-ih from the KMT is slowly closing the gap. The Taiwan’s People Party (TPP), which lies somewhere between both parties on the political spectrum, may become the decisive factor for Taiwan’s future course.

How to understand the elections results in Taiwan? What do they mean for Cross-Strait relations? What are the implications for the geopolitical landscape, ranging from tensions in the South China Sea to US-China geopolitical competition? What do European policy makers and businesses need to prepare for? These and more questions will be tackled by our experts in a brisk 30-minute briefing.

This online briefing is part of the “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700.

Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.