TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese envoy to Hungary Liu Shi-chung (劉世忠) on Saturday (Nov. 20) emphasized the importance of Taiwan’s security to the world and called on Central and Eastern European countries to expand their relations with Taiwan.

Liu was invited by the International Republican Institute to speak on Taiwan’s security at a Transatlantic Security Initiative seminar in Budapest, Hungary, attended by regional think tanks, scholars, and former government officials, CNA reported.

During his address, Liu said that in the face of multiple global challenges, the security of Taiwan is no longer limited to just the military. Technology, economics, and democracy are now also vital to keeping the nation safe while establishing international trust and a positive image, he said.

The representative pointed out that during U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s (習近平) recent online summit, they spent a significant amount of time discussing Taiwan, which demonstrates how important the nation’s security is.

The global supply chain is in the process of restructuring, Liu noted, adding that chip shortages have become a serious issue. He said Taiwan is now the leader in semiconductor technology and that many governments are beckoning Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to set up factories in their countries, highlighting Taiwan's advantages in technological security, per CNA.

The diplomat showed a photo of the Taiwan representative office in Lithuania to show that it is possible for a country to resist pressure from Beijing while expanding relations with Taipei. He called on Central and Eastern European countries to not only be aware of the impact of China's incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone on cross-strait peace and security but also deepen economic and trade cooperation with Taiwan and jointly establish a “global democratic supply chain.”