MEPs in Taiwan
Brussels and Beijing are further and further away. A new chapter in what appears to be a progressive deterioration in relations between the European Union and the People's Republic of China. On Wednesday November 3 he landed at Taoyuan airport, Taiwan, a flight with a delegation of MEPs. An unprecedented move, above all because it involves a group of deputies of the EU Parliament from different member states in a unified manner. If it had already happened in the past that visits by European politicians took place, it is one an unprecedented move on a unitary level. Beijing, which considers Taiwan a rebel province and part of its territory, had repeatedly warned the European Parliament not to make the visit and not to hold official meetings with Taiwanese politicians or exponents in order not to contravene the "one China" principle.
Delegation of MEPs to Taiwan
In the past the EU had always listened to the indications coming from China, but this time it has decided to put the "boots" on the island anyway. The delegation is led by Raphael Glucksmann, a French S&D MEP, a strong critic of China, who was among the five MPs sanctioned by Beijing in March. An episode, that of the counter-sanctions to MEPs and European think tanks such as the Merics in Berlin, which had also led to the indefinite freezing of the CAI, the bilateral investment agreement which had been signed in late December 2020 at the great push of Angela Merkel, before Joe Biden took office in the White House.
It is therefore no coincidence that he is the leader of the delegation, in a message sent to Beijing. "The more aggressive China is, the more the EU moves away", it appears to be the implicit communication addressed to the Chinese government. "Neither the threats nor the sanctions will impress me. Never. And I will continue, always, to be with those who fight for democracy and human rights. So here it is: I'm going to Taiwan," Glucksmann tweeted. "We look forward to fruitful discussions on defending democracy, freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights with our like-minded European partners," the Taiwanese foreign ministry responded in a statement.
Among the MEPs in Taiwan also the Northern League player Dreosto
Among the seven MEPs there is also an Italian one. It is about Marco Dreosto of the League, which works on foreign interference in the democratic processes of the EU. "Europe must not be equidistant between China and Taiwan. Between the countries that defend the values of freedom and democracy and the Chinese Communist dictatorship, Europe and Italy must be clear: we are with the former," he wrote Dreosto in a note. The terminology chosen by Dreosto in his communication is strongly anti-Chinese. "With economic initiatives that also have a geopolitical value, Beijing is trying to get its hands on Italian and European strategic assets. We cannot allow it. To counter the communist regime on these aspects, the West must remain united. And it must remain united also for the defense of Taiwan as a bulwark of democracy ".
To then reiterate its closeness to the United States' line: "While we in Europe get lost in a lot of chatter, the US - which I remember being our main ally - is already thinking very concretely and acting to defend their supremacy and of everything else. 'West for the containment of China in the Indo Pacific. It is also necessary that Europe clearly take a clear stance ". Already in November 2019 the League had sent one single-color delegation in Taipei, led by Gian Marco Centinaio. The attempt at the time, just passed to the opposition after the fall of the yellow-green government, was to get back into the good graces of Donald Trump by showing himself ready to marry his anti-Chinese line, after the misstep of the Savoinigate and the miscalculation of Matteo Salvini who thought he could go to Palazzo Chigi with the approval of the White House instead of "Giuseppi" Conte.
The rapprochement with Taiwan and the tensions with China
The European delegation will be received at a welcome dinner and will stay for three days during which it will meet the president Tsai Ing-wen, the Premier of the Executive Yuan, the Ministers of National Defense and Continental Affairs, as well as the Deputy Foreign Minister and the President of the Legislative Yuan (the Taiwanese Parliament). Beijing obviously didn't take it well. "The European Parliament is an official body of the European Union and if it were to send MEPs to visit Taiwan, it would seriously violate the European Union's commitment to the one China principle, damage a major interest of China and undermine the healthy development of China-European Union relations ”, the Chinese representation in the EU wrote a few days ago.
The topic of semiconductors
But the EU seems less and less shy in strengthening ties with Taipei. Just two weeks ago the European parliament had a document approved in plenary of the foreign affairs commission that asked to deepen the relations and to explore the possibility of a bilateral investment agreement. Beyond the geopolitical considerations, the semiconductor theme would also be behind it. The acute shortage of chips is affecting the European automotive sector, and beyond. Taiwan holds more than half of the world's manufacturing and assembly of semiconductors. Also for this reason, it is considered strategic to deepen relations with a key point of a crucial supply chain worldwide.
The statements on Taiwan are a compass of how the wind has changed. Even Luigi Di Maio who had almost always ignored the story, in the pre-G20 meeting with the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi he would have expressed "concern" about the situation in the strait, hoping that Beijing and Taipei could resolve the situation peacefully. But for the People's Republic, "reunification" with Taiwan is considered an essential objective. Further shocks are expected in relations between the EU and China.
#China #challenge #MEPs #Taiwan #risk #trade #retaliation