Poland marked a significant diplomatic milestone at the TASTI Expo 2024 with the first-ever Polish Space Agency delegation to Taiwan, led by Michal Wiercinski, Vice President of POLSA. The visit culminated in a landmark memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the nations' space agencies. The Poland Pavilion highlighted the country's expertise in satellite systems, manufacturing, and launch services, underscoring the growing technological collaboration in the space and defense sectors.
"Taiwan has substantial funding committed to its space program, while Poland can offer proven technologies with flight heritage through our European Space Agency membership," said Marek Kryszak, Senior Advisor for Science and Technology at the Taiwan-Poland Chamber of Commerce (TAIPO).
At the exhibition, three Polish companies demonstrated their technological prowess: Advanced Protection Systems, showcasing counter-drone solutions with established contracts across NATO and European airports; Eycore, developing SAR observation payload and satellite technology for government and commercial applications; and SpaceForest, demonstrating expertise in suborbital launch services and aerial surveillance systems.
The partnership extends beyond space technology, with Poland identifying four key pillars for bilateral development: space, defense, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors. Poland positions itself as a potential gateway for Taiwan into European Space Agency (ESA) projects. "Through business-to-business partnerships, we can translate this into real engagement with ESA," explained Marcin Jaskula, Senior Advisor for Space & Defense at TAIPO.
Recent geopolitical shifts, particularly Europe's strategic decoupling from China and the Russia-Ukraine war have created a more favorable environment for EU-Taiwan technology transfers. "The Russian war against Ukraine has changed the entire paradigm for cooperation," Jaskula noted, particularly in the defense sector collaboration where export controls are showing increased flexibility.
As Central Europe's largest market, Poland sees itself as a crucial piece in Taiwan's European strategy, complementing existing relationships with the Czech Republic and Lithuania. The partnership leverages complementary strengths – Poland's software expertise matches Taiwan's hardware capabilities, especially in artificial intelligence development.
The strengthening ties are underpinned by multiple funding mechanisms, including bilateral scientific development funds and the Eureka Global Stars program, with new application windows opening in 2025. These initiatives support Poland's ambition to become a key partner in Taiwan's European technology strategy.
