China's Territorial Claims

"The European Union is going through this moment of self-reflection."

"'What kind of relationship do we want to have with China?' and 'What kind of relationship are we willing to have with Taiwan?'"

"These are the two big questions that still need to be addressed."

Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, former political adviser to the European Parliament

China’s increasingly aggressive posture in East Asia has begun to move Europeans closer to Taiwan.  Getty Images

 

A switch in attitudes appears to be unfolding, where once the nations of Europe kept Taiwan at arm's length, careful not to provoke the People's Republic of China into raised hackles to maintain smooth relations with an autocratic leadership that notoriously prefers 'harmony' in the sense that no moves counter to Beijing's interests would be countenanced on anyone's part with the equanimity of a shrug and tolerance for other opinions. There can be no other opinions once Beijing has expressed its position. On anything.

 

And Beijing's oft-repeated insistence that the island state of Taiwan is part of greater China is one of those non-negotiable positions China is not prepared to discuss anywhere with anyone, since it is a strictly internal matter for China. Now, however, Europe is abandoning its placatory position toward China. Perhaps the decision of the Chinese Communist Party to harass and threaten Taiwan by sending fighter jets over Taiwan's airspace doesn't sit particularly well in Europe.

 

A shift has been noted with Europe reconsidering its relations with both China and Taiwan. China's aggressive tactics has won it no admiration abroad, and is serving to alert European governments to the CPC's perceived entitlement to bully and threaten those who fail to adjust their idea of international law to Beijing's interpretations. 

 

Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s foreign minister, speaking during a visit to Prague last month.  Credit...Petr David Josek/Associated Press

The European Parliament has overwhelmingly backed a resolution calling for more robust ties with Taiwan, describing it as a "partner and democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific". Parliament sent its first formal delegation on a visit to the island, despite Beijing's threats of retaliation for spurning its interests. Raphael Glucksmann, the delegation's leader, a French member of the European Parliament, informed Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen: "Europe is standing with you. We came here with a very simple, clear message: 'You are not alone'."

A year ago, Europe and China were finalizing a long-dormant agreement to operate on each other's territory, considered a geopolitical victory for Beijing. China's increasingly vitriolic assertion of authority under Xi Jinping has led to an aura of suspicion against the trade colossus. European lawmakers took steps to block the investment agreement, and as they did, citing China's human rights violations.

China's brutal Hong Kong crackdown on democracy, its coronavirus inception and communication  chapter leading to the international community's struggle to cope with a resulting wholesale social, political, business and economic meltdown, with China's lack of forthcoming alerts, its intimidation of Taiwan and its reputation for social genocide of the Uyghurs in East Turkestan, have all blackened its reputation as a reliable partner in any international sphere of endeavour. 

 

And then, there is the strictly business component of closer ties with Taiwan, a source of semiconductor chips where Taiwan has a vital role in the global supply chain for the chips, used to power iPhones and cars and everything in between. Taiwan is understandably interested in fostering firmer ties with Europe, to be recognized as a sovereign state which it is, and to promote business ties to its advantage.

 

A plaque at the Taiwanese representative office in Lithuania. China has downgraded its ties with Vilnius over the opening of the office. Photograph: EPA

 

Beijing's response has been to threaten it would take countermeasures focusing on each act of outreach to Taiwan. Its ambassador to Lithuania was recalled in August, for starters, diplomatic ties downgraded in response to Lithuania permitting Taiwan to open a de facto embassy. To which Lithuania's Foreign Minister expressed "regret" over China's decision.

China's responses and its fury over any acceptance of Taiwan as an independent country will only serve to see other nations gradually distance themselves from the CPC, the process even leading to China losing access to the European market. According to Shi Yinhong, a professor at Renmin University in Beijing, China will not willingly back down on such core issues as Taiwan and Xinjiang, both representing foci of the tensions.