EU leaders on Friday took a stance on cross-strait issues between Taiwan and China for the first time, saying during a summit that they are against any unilateral moves to change the “status quo.”
The East and South China seas are of strategic importance for regional and global prosperity and security, and the EU is concerned about growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the leaders said in conclusions issued after the two-day European Council meeting.
“The European Council opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. It reconfirms the EU’s consistent ‘one China policy,’” the leaders’ statement said.
Photo: AP
In addition, the EU expressed concerns about how China handles human rights issues, including forced labor, the treatment of human rights defenders and minorities, the situations in Tibet and Xinjiang, and the honoring of its previous commitments related to Hong Kong.
In the statement, the leaders reiterated the EU’s multifaceted policy approach toward China, which they said was simultaneously a partner, competitor and systemic rival.
With that in mind, the bloc would continue to engage with China to tackle global challenges and would encourage Beijing to take more ambitious action on climate change, biodiversity, pandemic preparedness and humanitarian assistance, among other issues, it said.
The EU would also seek to ensure a level playing field with China, so that trade and the economic relationship can be balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial, the leaders said.
Meanwhile, the 27-member bloc would continue to reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities on China, including on its supply chains, and would seek to “de-risk and diversify where necessary and appropriate,” they said.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the European Council for publicly voicing its support for cross-strait peace and stability over the past few months, while opposing the use of force to unilateral change the “status quo” in the Strait.
Taiwan would continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with EU members and like-minded democratic partners and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity, it added.
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is