As Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency in 2026, its cautious approach to Taiwan continues to draw attention. Why does Ireland remain an outlier among EU member states in its engagement with Taipei, and how much is that caution driven by concerns about Ireland–China relations?
In this episode, we speak with John McGuinness, Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny, and Chairman of the Ireland–Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, about his recent visit to Taiwan and meeting with President William Lai. We discuss opportunities for cooperation under Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy, potential trade growth in the semiconductor industry, agri-food exports, and technology sectors — and whether Ireland is missing key trade opportunities with Taiwan. We also explore how China’s influence and EU foreign policy dynamics are shaping Ireland’s diplomatic balancing act between Beijing and Taipei.
Date of Recording: November 7th, 2025
Thumbnail picture courtesy of the Office of the President, Republic of China, Taiwan.
#Ireland, #Taiwan, #China, #EU, #ForeignPolicy, #Trade, #Semiconductors
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As Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency in 2026, its cautious approach to Taiwan continues to draw attention. Why does Ireland remain an outlier among EU member states in its engagement with Taipei, and how much is that caution driven by concerns about Ireland–China relations?
In this episode, we speak with John McGuinness, Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny, and Chairman of the Ireland–Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, about his recent visit to Taiwan and meeting with President William Lai. We discuss opportunities for cooperation under Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy, potential trade growth in the semiconductor industry, agri-food exports, and technology sectors — and whether Ireland is missing key trade opportunities with Taiwan. We also explore how China’s influence and EU foreign policy dynamics are shaping Ireland’s diplomatic balancing act between Beijing and Taipei.
Date of Recording: November 7th, 2025
Thumbnail picture courtesy of the Office of the President, Republic of China, Taiwan.
#Ireland, #Taiwan, #China, #EU, #ForeignPolicy, #Trade, #Semiconductors
Why You Should Care About Taiwan - Interview with Bill Emmott
Perspectives with Neilo
29 minutes 28 seconds
2 months ago
Why You Should Care About Taiwan - Interview with Bill Emmott
🎧 Why You Should Care About Taiwan — Interview with Bill Emmott
Our daily news feeds are dominated by active conflicts—but what about the tensions simmering just below the surface, with global stakes just as high?
One of the most strategically significant, yet underreported flashpoints in the world is the Taiwan Strait—a 180km-wide body of international water separating Taiwan from mainland China. It's here that grey zone activity by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is escalating on a near-daily basis.
In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we explore:
The CCP’s claim on Taiwan—and why it’s historically weaker than Britain's claim on Ireland
Taiwan’s democratic identity and its people’s overwhelming rejection of CCP rule
The rise of grey zone warfare, military drills, and coercive tactics by China
The impact of U.S. strategic ambiguity and why the U.S. might be pulled into a war with China
Why Europe and the West must care about Taiwan’s future
🎙️ My guest is Bill Emmott—author of Deterrence, Diplomacy and the Risk of Conflict over Taiwan (2024), former editor-in-chief of The Economist, and one of the most respected voices in international affairs. We recorded this episode on the sidelines of the MacGill Summer School in July 2025.
We dive deep into the risks of conflict, the future of U.S.-China relations, and how the world can avoid sleepwalking into a war over Taiwan.
đź”— Resources:
Check out our blog at www.pwneilo.com for more information.
Credits:
Thumbnail map shows the locations of China’s military drills around Taiwan. The blue blocks represent war games held in 2022, the yellow and red blocks represent the “Joint Sword 2024” drills. Photo: Screen grab from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command’s Sina Weibo account courtesy of the Taipei Times. Link in blog.
Music:
even darker variation by SamuelFJohanns via Pixabay
Cinematic Piano Ambient Trailer Soundtrack by Open-Music-for-Videos via Pixabay
#Taiwan #China #Geopolitics #TaiwanStrait #ForeignPolicy #BillEmmott #PerspectivesWithNeilo #USChinaRelations #PLA #CCP #MacGill2025 #GreyZoneWarfare #TaiwanMatters #GlobalSecurity #AsiaPacific
Perspectives with Neilo
As Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency in 2026, its cautious approach to Taiwan continues to draw attention. Why does Ireland remain an outlier among EU member states in its engagement with Taipei, and how much is that caution driven by concerns about Ireland–China relations?
In this episode, we speak with John McGuinness, Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny, and Chairman of the Ireland–Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, about his recent visit to Taiwan and meeting with President William Lai. We discuss opportunities for cooperation under Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy, potential trade growth in the semiconductor industry, agri-food exports, and technology sectors — and whether Ireland is missing key trade opportunities with Taiwan. We also explore how China’s influence and EU foreign policy dynamics are shaping Ireland’s diplomatic balancing act between Beijing and Taipei.
Date of Recording: November 7th, 2025
Thumbnail picture courtesy of the Office of the President, Republic of China, Taiwan.
#Ireland, #Taiwan, #China, #EU, #ForeignPolicy, #Trade, #Semiconductors
