Budapest Forum Highlights Taiwan Strait Security, European Supply Chains and Autonomy

The annual Budapest Forum was held in the capital of Hungary on February 1, attracting dignitaries, scholars, and representatives of international organizations from across Europe. Since its inception, the forum has become a high-level platform for Europe to discuss security, economic, and foreign policies. This year's theme focused on European strategic autonomy and global supply chain resilience, while tensions in the Asia-Pacific region were also included as a key point of discussion.

Among the various topics, cross-strait security became one of the focal points for attendees. Since 2022, mainland China has conducted frequent military drills and aircraft patrols around the Taiwan Strait, leading to a deterioration of the regional security environment. As the sole democracy in the area, the stability of the Taiwan Strait is not only vital to peace in the Asia-Pacific, but also affects the global supply chain, particularly the circulation of semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.

Vision Foundation CEO Lai I-chung pointed out at the forum that security in the Taiwan Strait is no longer a purely regional issue, but is closely linked to Europe's own security, democratic values, and geopolitical interests. Many European countries rely heavily on Asian supplies in the energy and technology sectors; if a conflict were to occur in the Taiwan Strait, it could trigger fluctuations in energy prices.