Taiwan’s deputy FM made unreported trip to Israel recently, sources say

Taiwan’s high-profile Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu made a previously unpublicized visit to Israel recently, three sources familiar with the trip tell Reuters, at a time when Taiwan is looking to the country for defense cooperation.

Taiwan has few formal diplomatic ties due to pressure from Beijing, which views the island as one of its provinces and not a country. Like most other countries, Israel only officially recognizes Beijing and not Taipei, and while senior Taiwanese diplomats do travel abroad, trips to countries such as Israel are rare.

Still, Taiwan views Israel as an important democratic partner and offered strong support to the country after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in southern Israel and subsequent war in Gaza, and since then, there has been an increased level of engagement.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, tell Reuters that Wu had gone to Israel in recent weeks. Two of the sources say the trip happened this month.

The sources decline to give details of whom he met or what was discussed, including whether he touched upon Taiwan’s new multi-layered air defense system called T-Dome, which President Lai Ching-te unveiled in October and is partly modeled on Israel’s air defense system.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry declines to comment on whether Wu had visited Israel.

“Taiwan and Israel share the values of freedom and democracy, and will continue to pragmatically promote mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation” in areas such as trade, technology and culture and welcome more “mutually beneficial forms of cooperation,” it says in a statement.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry does not respond to a request for comment.