[Policy Paper 12] Why Europe Should Stand Up for Taiwan
The growing tensions between China and Taiwan coincide with the relationship between the US and the PRC reaching a new low.
![[Policy Paper 12] Why Europe Should Stand Up for Taiwan by Werner Somers, PhD](https://liberalforum.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Policy-Paper-12-Why-Europe-Should-Stand-Up-for-Taiwan-740x543.jpg)
The growing tensions between China and Taiwan coincide with the relationship between the US and the PRC reaching a new low.
Year: 2022
Author: Werner Somers, PhD in international law
ISSN: 2736-5816
DOI: 10.53121/ELFPP12
In recent years, China has become increasingly impatient with the status quo in Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that the Taiwan issue cannot be passed down from generation to generation. This concerns the EU, as the growing tensions between China and Taiwan coincide with the new lows of the relationship between the West and China. Many experts agree that the risk of the Taiwan question sparking a major great-power conflict in the next decade has increased dramatically.
It remains to be seen whether and to which extent Russia’s invasion into Ukraine will influence China dealings with Taiwan, also considering the close ties between Moscow and Beijing. EU should strive to maintain the status quo, since a military conflict over Taiwan would have strong negative effects on European security, economy, and prosperity, as well as signaling that authoritarianism has an ‚upper-hand’ on democracy and rule of law – foundational principles which the EU vowed to promote and safeguard.