Sweden in Taiwan: An Exclusive Interview with the Swedish Representative Helena Reitberger

Collaboration with like-minded partners around the world may be more crucial than ever. While Sweden and Taiwan do not share formal diplomatic ties, other platforms are in place to foster partnership, strengthen business relations, and promote cultural exchange. In late 2024, I had the opportunity to speak with Helena Reitberger, the Swedish Representative in Taiwan, who since August 2024 has served at the Swedish Trade and Invest Council.

This office works closely with Business Sweden in Taiwan and also cooperates with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Taipei, together making up what is known as Team Sweden in Taiwan. I spoke with Helena Reitberger to hear her thoughts on stepping into the role of Swedish Representative, the significance of Sweden’s office in Taiwan, and to discuss future visions for the partnership. As a writer for Uttryck Magazine, I am one of the few that has had the chance to interview her in this position.

How does it feel to take over this position?

It’s very exciting of course! I’m really happy to be here. I was actually here 22 years ago, at the time working as a locally employed staff member at our office, and I’ve always dreamed of coming back to Taiwan. So, it’s wonderful to take on this role. With so many things happening, it’s great that we have someone in place. And I’m glad that person is me!

What does Sweden’s representation here mean for both Sweden and Taiwan?

That is a question we always ask—“what is our purpose of being present in a given place?” The answer is that we want to be closer to the ground and be able to follow developments firsthand. It is in our interests to do so since Taiwan is relevant in so many ways. It’s also about being involved in the EU’s work here. There are many advantages to having someone on-site. There’s also a fairly large Swedish community here, and for them, our presence is also a good service, even though we don’t have full consular duties.

What does other EU countries’ presence here look like?

There are 16 EU member states represented in Taiwan. While some countries, like Sweden, have a smaller presence, others, such as France and Germany, naturally have a stronger one. Recently, countries like the Netherlands and Poland have expanded their presence.

For Sweden, collaboration within the EU is very important given our limited presence and resources. The EU really cooperates actively here and there is strong solidarity among the EU countries. Attending each other’s events is something we prioritize, even though it requires a fair amount of time.

What long term visions for the Sweden-Taiwan ties do you have?

Taiwan is a very interesting and relevant actor in many ways, so it’s important that we identify our interests here. One of our key priorities is academic exchange, building long-term relationships and bridges that way. Given the current situation, with the political limitations we have to navigate, it’s crucial that we do as much as possible within the framework of what we can do. And there truly is a lot we can do.

I strongly believe this student exchange is incredibly important. As always, knowledge about each other matters—the more Taiwanese people who know about Sweden, have been there, and have a connection to Sweden, and vice versa, the better. Regardless of what happens on the larger political stage.

In addition to these academic exchanges, which other areas do you see a lot of potential in, particularly in the economic and business sectors?

Here, there is an incredible amount of potential. We already have between 80 and 100 Swedish companies represented here today, ranging from startups to major industrial companies. Some companies have been here for a long time and are operating in all kinds of sectors.

Right now we are of course talking a lot about the green transition; an area with many synergies and overlaps. The healthcare sector as a whole, including digital health and AI in healthcare, are areas where we have had many initiatives and see much potential. Digitalization overall is a promising sector as Taiwan is a leader in fields like semiconductors and AI.

But also other issues such as what Taiwanese President Lai calls “whole-of-society resilience” where Taiwan has been very interested in what Swedish authorities such as MSB (the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) and other actors are doing. Several Taiwanese delegations have been to Sweden to learn more about these issues.

A difficult question perhaps, but what does a “typical” week look like for the Representative of Sweden in Taiwan?

The EU meeting agenda is always full of important topics. Today, for example, we had a briefing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are countless events—organized by EU countries, local authorities, and cultural actors—so a big part of our job is filtering through them.

Here, we have to ask ourselves what is manageable, what is relevant, and where we can contribute. We also work on organizing and hosting events of our own.

Business-related activities take place every week, and the representative office also plays a key role in engagements with ministries. For example, Business Sweden collaborates with several companies on initiatives like the Green Transition Alliance, and when there is a need of reaching out to the Ministry of Environment or other ministries, the representative office handles both the formalities—such as writing letters to request meetings—and actively participates in the meetings themselves.

We also handle consular matters. My colleague Sophia Chang manages most of this, but we discuss certain cases and work on contingency planning. We will also work on writing various reports.

How does your cooperation with Business Sweden and your local colleagues contribute to the Representative Office’s work in Taiwan?

The close cooperation with Business Sweden works very well. It is an excellent way of working as it strengthens collaboration and ensures both sides benefit significantly. We are really happy that Martin Vercouter, Market Manager at Business Sweden, is here so we can discuss things in general, and how things work in Taiwan.

Having someone experienced to bounce ideas off is extremely important. Many in the team have much experience and they have been here for years. My colleague Sophia Chang has unique experience and knowledge since she has seen so many representatives come and go. This is always the case in foreign missions: local staff are truly the backbone of the operation. It’s incredibly important to listen to them. At the same time, priorities shift over time, and it’s always a matter of finding the right balance.

Finally, is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like to highlight or share?

I think it’s important to point out that when you come here, you realize just how much can be done. There is strong interest from Taiwan in many of the things Sweden does, and there is also space to make things happen. Sometimes, the image of Taiwan in Sweden is a bit one-sided—people tend to focus only on the cross-strait relations issue.

But there is so much more to Taiwan. Take the recent pride celebration in Taipei City, for example—it was absolutely incredible to experience! 180,000 people showed up and it was such a powerful demonstration of inclusion. Taiwan has taken a step that no other place in this region has. Overall, Taiwan has undergone an incredibly interesting transformation. One really wants to share Taiwan’s story while always being mindful of the space we have to operate in.

The presence of a Swedish representative on the ground is not just symbolic but it ensures that Sweden remains actively engaged with Taiwan’s various developments. While Sweden’s footprint in Taiwan may be smaller than that of some EU counterparts, the involvement remains valuable for fostering long-term bonds and connections. It symbolizes a shared vision of growth and mutual understanding, laying the groundwork for collaborative ventures in business, academia, and cultural exchange.

Looking ahead, Sweden’s strategy in Taiwan will likely continue to focus on practical collaboration—through events and other initiatives developing academic ties, trade opportunities, as well as making use of EU cooperation to deepen engagement. By working within the frameworks available and identifying shared interests, Sweden and Taiwan can strengthen their partnership in ways that continue to be beneficial to both sides.