Berlin: Germany’s de facto embassy in Taiwan is expanding its diplomatic presence as Berlin seeks to deepen relations with Taipei,

According to Focus Taiwan, the country’s new representative, Karsten Tietz, mentioned in an exclusive interview that the German Institute Taipei is undergoing a period of growth. This expansion aligns with Germany’s strategy to strengthen supply chain resilience and adapt to shifting geopolitical dynamics, particularly in relation to China.

Tietz, who took office in August, explained that Germany’s relations with Taiwan are now defined in line with its Strategy on China. This strategy emphasizes de-risking economic relations with China while diversifying supply chains. “We’ll still be doing a lot of business with China, but not exclusively. So we are looking for other partners to diversify, and Taiwan is one of them,” he stated.

The envoy highlighted Taiwan as a key partner in efforts to enhance supply chain resilience in semiconductors and other critical industries, citing shared values of freedom and democracy. The bilateral collaboration extends beyond semiconductors, with recent agreements to strengthen scientific cooperation in microelectronics, AI, and hydrogen.

Given Taiwan’s growing importance to Berlin’s agenda, the German Institute Taipei will increase its staff by four new members by January 2026, bringing the total to 25. The number of officials handling political, economic, and cultural affairs will double from two to four between September and next January. Tietz described this expansion as “a clear signal that we place high importance on our relations [with Taiwan] and want to be more visible.”

Germany has also increased its regional presence, with two German military vessels transiting the Taiwan Strait in September 2024 for the first time in 22 years. This move drew ire from Beijing, which claims the strait as Chinese territory. Tietz stated that the passage through international waters was an act of freedom of navigation and “should not be an issue at all.”

In addition to Germany, other G7 nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Japan, have sent military vessels through the Taiwan Strait in recent years to assert the freedom of navigation principle.

Tietz, a 55-year-old career diplomat, previously served in the U.S., Thailand, and Hong Kong before assuming his current post. His experience in Hong Kong, where he witnessed the erosion of civil liberties following the failure of the Umbrella pro-democracy movement, “left a lasting impact” on him. He expressed understanding for people in Taiwan who caution against the “one country, two systems” policy, citing its failure in Hong Kong.

While Tietz found it encouraging that Taiwanese society shares the values of Germany and the European Union, he highlighted the challenges facing democracies. He stressed the urgent need to strengthen Germany’s defense capabilities and societal resilience, especially in light of aggression from Russia, which escalated by invading Ukraine in 2022 and sending drones into Poland’s airspace.

Tietz underscored Berlin’s decision to increase defense spending in line with NATO policy pledges, noting that German society is coming to terms with the reality that “even though we are not at war, we are not living in peace anymore.” He emphasized the importance of defending societal values and freedoms, stating that they “mean nothing if we are too weak to defend our society and the values Germany and the European Union stand for.”