Former Diplomatic Advisor to the President of Italy Stefano Stefanini on Wednesday warned that “a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency.” His comment referred to former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe’s remark that a crisis in Taiwan would also be a crisis for Japan.
Stefanini says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing an increasing number of people in Europe to pay attention to Taiwan. He emphasized that Europe has a strong interest in the Indo-Pacific region’s rising prosperity and underscored the importance of peace and stability.
The former ambassador says there are political difficulties preventing cooperation between Taiwan and NATO. Still, he says there are creative ways for both sides to work together.
Stefanini is part of a senior delegation visiting Taipei from the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank. The group also includes former US Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and Council Senior Vice President Barry Pavel.