Prague as a Gateway: Taiwan Is Betting on Czech Republic for Its European Expansion

Taiwan‘s trade promotion agency TAITRA has opened a new investment and trade office in Prague. The move is no coincidence: with TSMC building a semiconductor fab in nearby Dresden, the Czech Republic is becoming a key node in Taiwan‘s European strategy.

We spoke with James Huang, Chairman of TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), about the agency‘s approach to Europe and its growing focus on the Czech market.

Could you tell us about TAITRA‘s strategy towards Europe and the Czech Republic specifically? What are your main goals?

„Czech Republic is a very important partner of Taiwan, and that is exactly why, a couple of months ago, we set up a new investment and trade office in Prague. The goal is twofold: to encourage more Taiwanese investment in the Czech Republic, and to promote bilateral business cooperation between our two countries.“

The timing is deliberate. TSMC, Taiwan‘s leading semiconductor manufacturer, is currently building a new fabrication plant in Dresden, Germany, just a short distance from the Czech border. For TAITRA, that proximity creates a strategic opening.

So the Prague office is partly a response to TSMC‘s arrival in Dresden?

„Our new office in Czech Republic is there to serve both Taiwanese and Czech companies. Because of TSMC‘s investment in Dresden, a lot of Taiwanese semiconductor supply chain companies are coming to Europe. We believe the Czech Republic is a wonderful destination for them. We were hoping to form a multilateral business cooperation between Germany, Czech Republic and Taiwan in supporting TSMC‘s operation in Dresden.“