The Chinese Communist Party has conducted the largest live-fire military exercises to date around Taiwan, involving the Air Force, Navy, and missile units, and firing rockets into the northern and southern waters of Taiwan, prompting international condemnation. The European Union emphasized on Tuesday (December 30) that maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is directly related to the interests of the EU, and opposes Beijing’s use of force or coercion to unilaterally change the status quo.
The EU External Action Service (EEAS) stated on Tuesday that the recent military exercises by the Chinese Communist Party “further escalate the tense situation across the strait, endangering international peace and stability.”
“The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance to regional and global security and prosperity. We once again urge restraint to avoid any actions that could further escalate tensions and the issues should be resolved through cross-strait dialogue,” the statement said.
“Maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is directly related to the interests of the EU,” EEAS emphasized. “We oppose any unilateral actions to change the status quo, especially through the use of force or coercion.”
Without warning, the Chinese military announced large-scale military exercises around Taiwan on Monday (December 29) and promoted them heavily through the media, attracting international attention.
Videos released by the Chinese military showed suspected PCH-191 mobile rocket launchers firing rockets from an undisclosed location in China towards the sea surface.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense confirmed that on Tuesday morning, the Chinese military conducted live-fire exercises in northern Taiwan, with ammunition remnants falling into areas adjacent to Taiwan (within 24 nautical miles offshore).
Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Chiu Kuo-cheng, stated that the highly provocative behavior of the Chinese military not only seriously disrupts regional peace and stability but also poses significant security hazards and disruptions to incoming and outgoing vessels, trade activities, and flight routes. President Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook that front-line forces are prepared to defend the island.
The EU has previously emphasized the importance of maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait for the EU. In April 2023, then EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell wrote in the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche that “Europe must pay close attention to the Taiwan issue, which is closely related to us economically, commercially, and technologically.”
He added that for this reason, Europe should dispatch warships to patrol the Taiwan Strait to ensure the peace in the region.
At an EU debate on China held in the European Parliament in the same month, Borrell said Taiwan is evidently part of the EU’s geopolitical strategic range.
“We must reject aggression against Taiwan, not only for moral reasons, but also because economically this would have very serious consequences for us, as Taiwan has a strategic role in producing the most advanced semiconductors,” Borrell said.
A report published on November 25 on the website of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said that historically, the United States has been the main force deterring Chinese aggression. However, changes in the geopolitical landscape suggest that EU assistance to Taiwan in self-defense and forcing China to reassess the risks of military action align with the EU’s own interests.
The report also stated that defense cooperation between Europe and Taiwan will enhance deterrence against Chinese aggression in the Taiwan Strait and other regions, help maintain global trade stability, and demonstrate that European leaders are resolute and will not succumb to pressure.