Taiwan–Middle East relations

Taiwan–Middle East relations (Chinese: 臺灣與中東之間的關係; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwān yǔ jhōng dōng jhī jiān de guānsī; Tâi-lô: Tâi-uân kah tiong-tang tsi-kan-ê kuan-hē, Arabic: العلاقات بين تايوان والشرق الأوسط, romanized: alealaqat bayn taywan walsharq al'awsat) refer to the political, economic, and societal interactions between Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) and countries in the Middle East. These relations have been shaped by shifting global geopolitics, competition between the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC), energy trade, and evolving forms of people-to-people engagement. While Taiwan currently maintains no formal diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern states, economic ties, unofficial representation, and citizen diplomacy continue to play a significant role.

After the relocation to Taiwan in 1949, the ROC government continued to pursue diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries. Formal ties were established with Lebanon (1955), Jordan (1957), Libya (1959), and Kuwait (1963).^[1] During the Cold War, Taiwan's Middle East policy aligned closely with the United States strategy of containing communism. The Taiwanese government under Chiang Kai-shek promoted an explicitly anti-communist and anti-Soviet foreign policy, which resonated with several Middle Eastern governments aligned with Western security frameworks. Taiwan's diplomacy during this period included high-level visits and symbolic gestures. In the late 1950s, leaders from Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Jordan visited Taiwan.^[2] The construction of the Taipei Grand Mosque in 1960 was also linked to efforts to strengthen ties with Muslim-majority countries and demonstrate religious accommodation.^[3][4]

From the 1950s onward, Taiwan's relations with the Middle East were increasingly affected by diplomatic competition with the PRC. Many Middle Eastern states gradually shifted recognition to Beijing, particularly after the PRC replaced the ROC as China's representative in the United Nations in 1971. Between 1971 and 1990, Taiwan lost all remaining formal diplomatic ties with Middle Eastern countries.^[5] Despite this decline, Saudi Arabia remained Taiwan's most significant Middle Eastern partner until 1990. The bilateral relationship lasted 44 years and included oil supplies, financial loans, and Taiwanese technical assistance in medicine, engineering, and aviation. This period is often cited as one of the most successful examples of Taiwan's diplomacy in the Arab world.^[6]

After the loss of formal diplomatic recognition, Taiwan shifted to a system of unofficial representation. As of the 2020s, Taiwan maintains economic and cultural offices or commercial representative offices in Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. These offices handle trade promotion, investment, cultural exchange, and limited consular services. Countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen are covered by nearby Taiwanese representative offices, while Iran hosts no Taiwanese representative office but does have a Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) trade center.^[7] Economic relations declined significantly during periods of conflict in Iraq and international sanctions in the 1990s and early 2000s.^[8]

Taiwan's Middle East policy has increasingly focused on economic diversification, humanitarian assistance, and alignment with national development strategies. Taiwanese policymakers have discussed linking Taiwan's industrial strengths—such as information and communications technology, green energy, and biotechnology—with development plans in Gulf states. Taiwan has also cooperated with partners such as the United States on humanitarian and stabilization initiatives in the region.^[9]

Mutual perceptions have often been limited. Taiwanese views of the Middle East have frequently been shaped by media coverage emphasizing conflict and instability, while Middle Eastern governments generally prioritize relations with major powers over Taiwan.^[10] In recent years, however, some younger Taiwanese have expressed greater interest in Middle Eastern issues related to self-determination, including Palestinian and Kurdish political movements.^[11]

Energy security has been a central pillar of Taiwan–Middle East relations. Middle Eastern countries supply a significant share of Taiwan’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Oman have been Taiwan's primary crude oil suppliers since the 1970s.^[12] Qatar has been a major LNG supplier since the mid-2000s.^[13]

Taiwan exports industrial goods, machinery, electronics, medical devices, and consumer products to the Middle East. Although Taiwan runs persistent trade deficits with Gulf states due to energy imports, Taiwanese firms such as CTCI Corporation^[14], TECO Electric and Machinery, and Taiwan Fertilizer Company have maintained a commercial presence in the region.^[15]

Citizen diplomacy has complemented official and economic relations. During the Cold War, Muslim communities in Taiwan participated in Islamic conferences and pilgrimages, often promoting Taiwan's anti-communist stance. Taiwanese Muslim and non-Muslim students studied in Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Libya, with some later becoming diplomats or scholars of Middle Eastern studies.^[16] Economic relations declined significantly during periods of conflict in Iraq and international sanctions in the 1990s and early 2000s.^[17]

Since the 1990s, people-to-people exchanges have diversified. Taiwanese tourism to the Middle East, particularly to the UAE and Turkey, increased prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[18] Taiwanese non-governmental organizations have provided humanitarian assistance to refugees from conflicts in Syria and neighboring countries. For example, on 6 February 2023, in response to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the Taiwanese government donated $5 million USD through Mercy Corps to assist Syrians affected by the earthquakes.^[19]

At the same time, migrants and expatriates from the Middle East living in Taiwan have contributed to cultural exchange through business, food, and media. Middle Eastern cuisines and cultural programming have become more visible in Taiwanese cities.^[20]

Taiwan's interactions with the Middle East have also included limited engagement in defense-related industries and dual-use technologies, primarily through commercial exports and technological cooperation rather than formal military alliances. Taiwanese firms have supplied equipment such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), naval components, and surveillance-related technologies to several Middle Eastern states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, subject to export controls and regulatory oversight.^[21]

Saudi Arabia has emerged as Taiwan's largest trading partner in the Middle East, with bilateral trade reaching over US$12 billion annually. In 2020, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to prevent double taxation, which entered into force in 2022. While the agreement is primarily economic in nature, it has been viewed as facilitating broader commercial exchanges, including in high-technology and industrial sectors with potential defense-related applications.^[22]

Taiwan's semiconductor industry has been a key factor in its strategic relevance to global defense supply chains. Taiwanese manufacturers account for a substantial share of the world's advanced semiconductor production, which is essential for modern military systems, including high-performance computing, sensors, and artificial intelligence–enabled platforms. This has positioned Taiwan as an indirect but significant contributor to defense modernization efforts in multiple regions, including the Middle East, where governments have increasingly prioritized technological upgrading.^[23]

In the cybersecurity domain, Taiwan has pursued technical exchanges and information-sharing arrangements with select regional partners, most notably Israel. These interactions have focused on cyber defense, intelligence analysis, and technological resilience, reflecting shared concerns over cyber threats and asymmetric security challenges. Such cooperation has generally taken place through unofficial or semi-official channels.^[24]

Beyond security-related technologies, Taiwan's engagement has also attracted interest from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, particularly those based in the Gulf states. Investments have focused on Taiwan's high-technology sectors, including semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. Analysts have noted that these investments may contribute to capital flows, knowledge exchange, and workforce development, while remaining distinct from formal defense cooperation.^[25]

• Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Jordan
• Taipei Commercial Representative Office in the State of Kuwait
• Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Muscat, Oman
• Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Saudi Arabia
• The Commercial Office of Taipei, Dubai, U.A.E.

• Foreign relations of Taiwan
• Energy policy of Taiwan
• Sino-Arab relations