Australia–Taiwan Relations Forum 2026 Highlights Shared Responsibility for Indo-Pacific Security and Stability
The Australia–Taiwan Relations Forum 2026, hosted by the Australia Taiwan Culture Foundation Ltd. (ATCF), was held on 17 April at the Queensland Parliament House. Under the theme “Shared Responsibility: Security, Resilience, and Regional Stability — Perspectives from Australia and Taiwan,” the forum brought together leaders from government, academia, and industry to engage in in-depth discussions on the evolving Indo-Pacific landscape and Australia–Taiwan cooperation. The event was met with strong interest and active participation.
The forum took place against the backdrop of the Australian Government’s announcement of a record AUD 425 billion defence investment over the next decade, aimed at responding to an increasingly complex regional security environment and potential threats from neighbouring hostile actors. This development underscored the urgency and relevance of the forum’s discussions, with participants recognising that safeguarding regional stability is a shared responsibility among democratic partners.
The event opened with welcome remarks by Ms Phyllis Lo, President of ATCF, followed by a recorded message from The Hon Jon Krause MP, Deputy Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, expressing strong support for the forum. In his opening address, Director-General William Fan of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane emphasised the shared democratic values between Australia and Taiwan and their joint responsibility for regional stability.
He called for greater international inclusion of Taiwan, urging support for its participation in the World Health Organization (WHO), and highlighted the critical link between peace in the Taiwan Strait and global supply chain security. He also noted Taiwan’s leading position in the global semiconductor industry and the potential for its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to strengthen economic resilience across the Indo-Pacific.
The keynote address was delivered by Major General (Ret’d) Michael Ryan AM, who provided a strategic assessment of the evolving Indo-Pacific security environment. Drawing on his concept of “Confronting Complacency,” he warned that prolonged periods of relative stability can lead to underestimation of risk and delayed preparedness.
He emphasised the importance of proactive risk recognition, adaptive capability development, and closer cooperation among like-minded partners to enhance regional resilience. The forum’s panel discussion was moderated by Professor Caitlin Byrne AM FAIIA, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) at Griffith University. Panellists included Michael Ryan, The Hon Shayne Neumann MP, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and Mr Warwick Penrose, CEO of EPE Group.
The discussion addressed a range of issues including regional security architecture, supply chain resilience, democratic cooperation, and the future trajectory of Australia–Taiwan relations. The forum attracted strong participation from diplomats and consular representatives, elected officials from federal, state, and local governments, think tank experts, academics, multicultural community representatives, and Taiwanese community leaders from Brisbane and Sydney.
The Q&A session was highly engaged, with participants actively contributing questions and perspectives. Discussions extended to Taiwan’s participation in the WHO and its bid to join the CPTPP. Due to time constraints, the session concluded despite continued interest, reflecting the high level of engagement. The forum was convened and facilitated throughout by Mr Edward Lin, CEO of ATCF.
ATCF will continue to advance high-level dialogue platforms to deepen Australia–Taiwan cooperation across security, economic, and cultural domains, contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
