Taiwan is deepening ties with Europe, a positive sign for the island as it pushes back against pressure from China.

• Parliamentary staff from 12 European countries are visiting Taiwan to swap ideas on democratic governance, resilience, and digital government.
• It is the second group this year under Taiwan's European Valued Important Partnership program.
• Taiwan is pitching itself as a strong, stable partner, pointing to fast economic growth and a stock market now the world's fifth largest.
• Taiwan's chip industry leans on European partners like the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium.
• The visitors framed closer ties as a counter to authoritarian states using economic pressure to bend the global order.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to keep courting European democracies to shore up economic and security support against Chinese pressure.