Multiple Chinese and German media outlets have reported, that Wang Yi, the head of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office, has demanded that Germany support efforts to peacefully conquer Taiwan. This demand comes as Western European nations seemingly weaken their support for the island nation.
Emmanuel Macron, openly came out last week to say that the European Union should reduce its reliance on America and stay out of any future conflict with China over Taiwan. This discussion, comes a time of apparent European soul-searching over the issue of Taiwan, with a growing number of EU-based officials pushing for a much more cynical approach to be taken on the issue.
Macron openly expressed concern that European involvement in any future conflict over Taiwan, would only risk the continent becoming an American “vassal“.
“Being an ally does not mean being a vassal… doesn’t mean that we don’t have the right to think for ourselves,” he said, urging for the continent to stay out of any Taiwan quagmire due to it so far being unable to solve the war already taking place in Ukraine.”
-French President Emmanuel Macron
Provoking outrage amongst more Atlanticist-minded politicians in Europe and America, Macrons comments were seen by some as a “seeming betrayal” of the democratic nation. Additionally, the notion was pushed back upon by the German Foreign Minister, who said in Beijing: “A military escalation in the Taiwan Strait, through which 50 percent of world trade flows every day, would be a horror scenario for the entire world.”
Reportedly, the German delegation headed up by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is currently visiting Beijing, was told by Wang that Germany should abandon any support for Taiwanese independence. He added that they should instead back China’s attempts to finally gain control of the long-independent territory.
In fact, Reuters reported Wang as saying, along with the Chinese state-run newspaper, The Global Times, that he compared such support, to Chinese support of Germany’s post-Cold War reunification. Wang said-
“To maintain stability in the Taiwan Strait, it is necessary to firmly oppose separatist activities related to ‘Taiwan independence’”
- Wang Yi, Head of Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office
According to Baerbock –
“The shock wave of such a world economic crisis would also hit China and Germany as special trading nations. We are therefore watching the increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait with great concern” adding “A unilateral and violent change in the status quo would not be acceptable to us as Europeans.”
-German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock
For America’s part, the Taiwanese government has seen ample bipartisan support. Last year Democrat Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House visited Taiwan, in a quiet but firm manner. The visit, was much to the ire of the Chinese government.
Then this year, and most recently, Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, traveled through the United States as part of her multi-day itinerary that took the leader of the Asian democratic island through Central and North America. Planned at the Ronald Reagan Library in Los Angeles, Tsai Ing-wen was able to meet with Republican, Kevin McCarthy, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives. So far, America is standing behind Taiwan because – freedom matters.
“May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”
-Peter Marshall