Portugal's deputy parliament speaker urges Lisbon to open an office in Taipei
Taiwan's diplomatic push in Europe got a small boost, with a senior Portuguese lawmaker publicly calling for closer official ties.
- Portugal's deputy parliament speaker, Rodrigo Saraiva, said it is time for Portugal to set up an office in Taipei, since Taiwan already has one in Lisbon.
- He called Taiwan an essential link in global supply chains and said peace in the Taiwan Strait directly affects Europe's security and wealth.
- Taiwan's representative, Chang Ya-kuang, pitched more cooperation in science, ocean technology, and trade, pointing to Taiwan's strength in chips, AI, and advanced manufacturing.
- Taiwan also pushed back on China's reading of UN Resolution 2758, saying it never mentions Taiwan and cannot be used to shut Taiwan out of international bodies.
- Former Portuguese economy minister Pedro Reis flagged airports, infrastructure, and property as openings for Taiwanese money, noting Taiwan Cement's earlier purchase of Portuguese cement maker CIMPOR.
Outlook: Saraiva's party has already proposed a friendly resolution backing a Portuguese office in Taipei, so the next step is whether Lisbon's government acts on it.