Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister has cautioned that Australia’s current trade and economic policy choices risk advancing authoritarian influence in the Indo-Pacific if Canberra does not pursue deeper engagement with Taipei.

The remarks, made in interviews with Australian media, stressed the strategic significance of Taiwan’s economic and technological contributions to the region and implied that decisions such as fast-tracking Taiwan’s entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership could shift geopolitical alignments.

Francois Chih-chung Wu, Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to France, used forceful historical analogies to underscore his argument, comparing the strategic importance of Taiwan’s semiconductor capacity to critical industrial assets in past global conflicts.

He suggested that without robust economic integration between Australia and Taiwan, China’s dominance in technology supply chains and its broader geopolitical ambitions could go unchecked, potentially influencing regional economic orders and norms.

Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which accounts for a significant portion of the world’s advanced chip production, has been at the centre of global supply-chain strategy discussions because of its critical role in emerging technologies and national security sectors.

Australia’s policy toward Taiwan has been shaped by Canberra’s longstanding One China policy, which acknowledges the People’s Republic of China’s position while maintaining informal but substantial economic links with Taiwan.

Canberra’s approach has enabled strong trade, educational and cultural engagement, with Taiwan ranking among Australia’s notable export and import partners, particularly in sectors such as liquefied natural gas, beef and education services.

Australian policymakers have balanced these ties with equally important economic relations with China, Australia’s largest trading partner, whose military exercises near Taiwan and assertive regional posturing have drawn statements of concern from Canberra.

The debate over trade policy and strategic alignment has intersected with broader discussions about Australia’s role in the Indo-Pacific and its commitments under alliances such as AUKUS and its informal security cooperation with the United States and Japan.

Analysts note that while expanding trade agreements could deepen economic resilience and signal support for democratic partners, Canberra must weigh these moves against the potential diplomatic and economic repercussions from Beijing.

Taiwan’s appeal for closer trade integration reflects not only its own strategic imperatives but also a growing chorus of voices in the region calling for diversification of economic partnerships and reinforcement of the rules-based international order as geopolitical competition intensifies.