Alphabet's Google opened a new AI infrastructure hardware engineering centre in Taiwan on Thursday - its biggest outside of the U.S. - in what Taiwan's president said was a show of confidence in the island as a trustworthy technology partner.

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan is not alone and has more and more friends around the world and will continue to show the world its resolve, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said on Sunday after returning from a landmark diplomatic-breakthrough trip to Europe.

Taiwan's deputy leader has urged the European Union to strengthen security and trade ties with Taiwan and support its democracy amid growing threats from China.

Alphabet's Google on Thursday opened in Taiwan its biggest artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure hardware engineering centre outside of the United States, in what Taiwan's president said was a show of confidence in the island as a trustworthy technology partner.

Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim called for greater support and international recognition for the self-ruled island in rare remarks to a European Parliament group in Brussels on Friday.

She is expected to leave for Berlin on Nov 8 and speak on Nov 10 at the Berlin Freedom Conference. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim made an unusual visit to Belgium on Friday and spoke at a meeting with lawmakers at the European Parliament, part of an increasingly bold outreach to Europe by the Chinese-claimed and democratically governed island.

China has spent the last 30 years creating the circumstances that would deter America from risking war with China over Taiwan.