Portugal–Taiwan relations
Bilateral relations between Portugal and Taiwan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Portugal–Taiwan relations refer to the bilateral relations between Portugal (formally the Portuguese Republic) and Taiwan (formally the Republic of China).
Portugal does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, recognizing the People's Republic of China under the One China policy. Since the early 1990s, Portugal and Taiwan have maintained unofficial / non-diplomatic ties through representative offices. Although there are no formal diplomatic ties, both sides engage in commerce, cultural exchanges, and periodic political contacts, sharing values including democracy and human rights.[1]
History
Portugal supported the PRC's accession to the United Nations in 1971, voting in favor of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI), which transferred China's UN seat from Taipei to Beijing.[2] However, Portugal recognized the ROC until 1975, when political changes occurring with the Carnation Revolution and subsequent decolonization shifted its foreign policy.
In 1992, Taiwan established the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Lisbon to represent its interests in Portugal, in lieu of formal embassy status.[3]
Representative offices
The Taiwanese government is represented in Portugal by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (Centro Económico e Cultural de Taipei em Portugal), located in Lisbon, established in July 1992.[4] This office performs functions similar to those of an embassy: consular services, promotion of trade, cultural and educational cooperation.[5]
Portugal has no representative office in Taiwan currently.[6]
Economic relations
Trade between Taiwan and Portugal has been growing in recent years. Bilateral trade between Taiwan and Portugal reached US$770 million in 2023, ranking Portugal as Taiwan's 15th largest trading partner in Europe. The main Taiwanese exports to Portugal include integrated circuits, vehicle parts, and hot-rolled iron. In 2023, Taiwan's exports to Portugal were US$560 million, representing a decrease of 6.46% over the previous year, making Portugal Taiwan's 14th largest export market in Europe.[7] As of 2023, Portuguese enterprises have invested a total of 57 cases in Taiwan, with a cumulative value of US$240 million.[8]
In November 2024, the first ever "Portugal–Taiwan Forum" was held in Lisbon to identify synergies and business opportunities despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition. [9]
Political exchanges
In February 2020, amid the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the chairman of the Portugal–Taiwan parliamentary friendship group wrote to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urging the correction of what he called inappropriate references to Taiwan in WHO situation reports.[10]
In April 2023, then Vice President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan received a delegation from the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic led by Paulo Rios de Oliveira. They discussed deepening ties in areas such as economy and security, and emphasized shared values of democracy and human rights.[11]
On 17 June 2025, Deputy Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament Salema da Silva urged the new Portuguese government to deepen relations with Taiwan, announcing plans to propose several resolutions. These included following the example of other EU member states by promoting the establishment of a representative office in Taipei. He called on the government to "show courage" and not "yield to China".[12]
Cultural and educational exchanges
While specific programs are less documented in public sources, there is regular cultural promotion via the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Portugal, including events for Portuguese citizens and Taiwan community groups.[13]