Sat, Nov 02, 2024 page1

• EU urged to step up Taiwan exchanges

  ‘INDO-PACIFIC ALTERATION’: China’s coercive foreign and security policies toward its neighbors are undermining regional stability, a European Commission report said

  • By Fang Wei-li, Su Yung-yao and Esme Yeh / Staff reporters, with staff writer
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  The European Commission in a report on Wednesday raised concern over China’s aggression against Taiwan and suggested that the EU step up exchanges with Taipei.

  The Safer Together: Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness report assesses the geopolitical challenges facing the EU and presents recommendations to decisionmakers in the bloc’s institutions and member states through 2029.

  Former Finnish president Sauli Niinisto, a special adviser to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and author of the report, said that “China’s rise and the rapid increase in its comprehensive national power are profoundly altering the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific” region.

  

  EU flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on April 12, 2022.

  Photo: Reuters

  “Beyond its long-held ambitions to take over Taiwan, which it considers indispensable ... China’s coercive foreign and security policies toward neighbors, including India, the Philippines and Vietnam, are undermining regional stability,” creating “a risk of escalation” that could trigger local and global impacts, Niinisto said in the report.

  “The potential economic and security impact of Chinese aggression against Taiwan or in the South China Sea would be staggering for Europe and the world,” the report said.

  European and global supply chains could be severely disrupted if China attacks Taiwan or “escalates drawing on coercive measures, such as other forms of coercion, including the seizure of outlying islands, selective quarantines where China restricts traffic to and from Taiwan ... or even a full-blown blockade,” it said.

  “Given our deep economic ties with China, including asymmetric dependencies in key sectors, as well as supply chains from Taiwan (in particular in advanced semiconductors), this would lead to a drastic shock causing ripple effects around the world,” it said.

  The report urged the EU to exchange lessons with “partners who are targeted by high-intensity hybrid operations” to bolster its deterrence through a broader response.

  “Together with partners such as the US, the UK, Japan, Australia and Canada, but also Ukraine, Taiwan and many others, we can build mutual resilience and together reinforce our preparedness and awareness to the heightened hybrid threat levels arising from the deteriorating geopolitical context,” it said.

  The report also encouraged cooperation between the EU and NATO on coordinating actions and exchanging information in light of China’s continued assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine and the strategic rivalry between Beijing and Washington.

  “The security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic region are closely interconnected with those of the Indo-Pacific” region, it said.

  In Taipei yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it welcomed the EU’s continued attention to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the bloc’s willingness to boost collaboration and exchanges with Taiwan.

  “Being a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan would continue to cooperate with the EU and other like-minded democratic partners to jointly defend the rules-based international order and facilitate peace, prosperity and stability regionally and globally,” the ministry added.

  In other developments, President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday met with a delegation from the Dutch House of Representatives’ Foreign Trade and Development Committee led by the committee’s chair, Dutch Representative Aukje de Vries.

  The House has been concerned about escalated regional tensions, De Vries said.

  Members of the House have reached a consensus that any unilateral change to the cross-strait “status quo” should be avoided and that any dispute should be resolved by peaceful means rather than by force or coercion, she said.

  Lai thanked the House for supporting Taiwan by passing three motions to galvanize the Dutch government into promoting the cross-strait peace and enhancing the bilateral relationship with Taiwan.

  The Netherlands is the first European country to approve a motion to counter China’s mischaracterization of UN Resolution 2758 to block Taiwan’s international participation, he added.

  De Vries also said that Taiwan and the Netherlands have much in common and maintain close exchanges.

  Both sides have strong democratic systems that respect human rights, and the freedoms of press and association, with a focus on sustainable economic developments and climate change issues, she said.

  Taiwan and the Netherlands share many values, and are dedicated to improving work conditions and environments, De Vries said.

  The two sides have close economic ties, as Taiwan is the Netherlands’ second-largest export market in Asia and the Netherlands is the country that invests the most in Taiwan, she said.

  Up to 35 billion euros (US$38.01 billion) has been invested by the Netherlands in Taiwan and the western European country has become a gateway for more than 200 Taiwanese companies to enter the European market, De Vries said, adding that she expects both sides to develop closer cooperation.

  Members of the House visiting Taiwan along with De Vries included Danielle Hirsch, Roelien Kamminga, Isa Kahraman, Jan Paternotte, Derk Boswijk, Dennis Ram, Tom van der Lee, Femke Zeedijk and Eric van der Burg.

  Additional reporting by CNA
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