TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Belgium and Taiwan marked a dramatic economic milestone Monday (July 21) as bilateral trade soared to 2 billion euros (around NT$68.97 billion), doubling since 2020. The Belgium-Taiwan Business Award Ceremony at Taipei's Grand Mayfull Hotel celebrated this unprecedented growth in cross-strait commerce between the European nation and the island democracy.
Matthieu Branders, Belgium's representative to Taiwan, delivered the keynote address at this inaugural awards ceremony, emphasizing the remarkable bilateral progress. The diplomat, who has served as head of the Belgian Office, Taipei since August 2023, highlighted how both nations share fundamental economic characteristics as small, open economies heavily dependent on international trade for prosperity and growth.
The ceremony honored Belgian companies that have demonstrated exceptional innovation, sustainability leadership and remarkable adaptation to Taiwan's competitive market environment. Particular emphasis was placed on semiconductor collaboration between Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and Belgium's Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC). Award recipients represented an impressive range of industries, spanning from cutting-edge offshore wind energy projects to specialized semiconductor chemicals, design and advanced marine engineering solutions.
Belgian marine engineering powerhouses Jan De Nul and DEME captured top honors for their transformative contributions to Taiwan's offshore wind sector. These industry giants have fundamentally reshaped Taiwan's renewable energy landscape since their strategic market entry between 2017 and 2018, positioning the island as a regional clean energy hub.
Jan De Nul has successfully constructed and installed 88 massive wind turbines across three strategic offshore fields in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, DEME operates the impressive Green Jade, a specialized offshore turbine installation vessel constructed in Taiwan through joint venture CDWE with local shipbuilding partner CSBC Corporation.
The flourishing trade relationship stems from fundamental economic similarities between Belgium and Taiwan, with both nations making what Branders described as a "crazy bet" in the 1980s to develop semiconductors amid the decline of traditional industries. "We're both extremely open economies, and we're very dependent on the international on international markets," Branders explained, highlighting how both nations rely heavily on global commerce for economic prosperity.
Kris Verstockt, executive director of CRE8 — a globally recognized design studio established in 2001 and honored by iF Design as among the Top 50 Design Studios Worldwide — offered unique insights as a three-decade Taiwan resident. The partnership extends to talent development, with approximately 500 Taiwanese traveling to Belgium annually for studies or research, with around half specializing in electrical engineering. "When I arrived is that it was such a fast paced, such a fast moving economy, which was very externally oriented," Verstockt recalled of his early impressions.
Verstockt observed significant shifts as Taiwan's economy evolved and matured over the decades. "One can argue employees are better protected. Everything is more structured and organized, but some of that excitement of growing at a hyper pace that's, sadly enough, gone away a little bit," he reflected on the trade-offs of economic development.
Belgian enterprises have achieved remarkable success across Taiwan's diverse industrial sectors, from life sciences and specialty chemicals to advanced semiconductors, with cooperation spanning "so many sectors of the future," as both nations face similar challenges in technology sovereignty. The awards ceremony spotlighted companies like Solvay, which manufactures highly specialized chemicals for Taiwan's world-leading semiconductor industry through strategic partnerships with local technology firms.
Van De Steene provided valuable guidance for Belgian businesses contemplating Taiwan market entry and investment opportunities. "Investing is, of course, a big step. I would say, do a good market search," he recommended, stressing the critical importance of thoroughly identifying specialized niche expertise opportunities before committing resources.
The ceremony concluded with networking opportunities featuring authentic Belgian delicacies, emphasizing the cultural dimensions of this expanding economic partnership that includes emerging collaboration in hydrogen power and nuclear energy development. Taiwan's aggressive renewable energy investment, combined with Belgium's technological expertise, positions the bilateral relationship for substantial growth beyond the current 2 billion euros trade milestone. ◼ (At time of reporting, 1 euro equals approximately NT$34.48)
