DSET recently received a delegation from the global security think tank GLOBSEC to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, including semiconductors, critical minerals, energy resilience, the drone industry, and foreign influence and manipulation (FIMI). The visit also sought to explore ways to deepen collaboration between Taiwanese and European think tanks.
Founded in 2005, GLOBSEC is dedicated to shaping global security policy, with offices in Washington D.C., Brussels, Vienna, Bratislava, and Kyiv. Its annual GLOBSEC Forum has hosted world leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and French President Emmanuel Macron. Since 2021, Taiwanese officials have regularly participated, including Deputy Ministers Chen Ming-chi and François Wu Chih-chung of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Secretary-General of the National Security Council Joseph Wu.
The GLOBSEC delegation included General John R. Allen, retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general, former commander of NATO’s ISAF in Afghanistan, and current Director of the GLOBSEC GeoTech Center; Robert Vass, President of GLOBSEC; Estonian MP Raimond Kaljulaid; Czech presidential advisor Petr Kolar; CEO Daniel Braun; Jan Fogas, Head of the Executive Office; and Martin Valovsky, founder of Baryon Investment Fund, which focuses on defense investments in Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine.
DSET CEO Jeremy Chih-Cheng Chang welcomed the delegation and highlighted the strong alignment between DSET and GLOBSEC in their research focus, particularly on vulnerabilities in the semiconductor supply chain. He noted that, in response to substantial Chinese government support for the chip sector, Taiwan and Europe should work with partner countries to develop strategies that safeguard economic security.
The meeting was also attended by Tsaiying Lu, Director of DSET’s Energy Resilience Program, and Kai-Shen Huang, Director of the Democracy Governance Program. Lu shared DSET’s recent report, Unveiling the Hidden Agenda Behind China’s Green Ambitions, which examines China’s climate propaganda and overseas critical mineral investments. The discussion with GLOBSEC also covered findings on undersea cables and critical minerals, emphasizing the importance of democratic cooperation.
The GLOBSEC delegation expressed keen interest in DSET’s research capabilities. They noted that Taiwan, like the Baltic states, is vulnerable to attacks on undersea cables. Taiwan also faces foreign influence operations by China, similar to the threats Europe encounters from Russia. The delegation emphasized that Taiwan and its European partners need to quickly draw lessons from Ukraine’s battlefield drone experience to strengthen defense capabilities.
The delegation expressed hope that the visit would strengthen ties between the two think tanks and further enhance collaboration between Taiwan and Europe.
