Global Taiwan Institute

The Importance of Transatlantic Cooperation on Taiwan

Jamie Fly
In recent years, European perceptions of China have increasingly hardened as many European businesses, like their American counterparts, have suffered from China’s unfair economic practices.

In recent years, European perceptions of China have increasingly hardened as many European businesses, like their American counterparts, have suffered from China’s unfair economic practices. In April, the European Commission deemed China a “systemic rival.” As a result of converging transatlantic views, US-European engagement on the China challenge has increased as well, despite the overarching irritations in the transatlantic relationship.

Yet, this transatlantic engagement has not extended to a key aspect of the China challenge: Beijing’s increasing efforts to isolate and pressure Taiwan. Under Xi Jinping, China has increased its threatening rhetoric toward Taiwan and stepped up efforts to increase Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation, luring Taiwan’s allies to cease diplomatic relations and blocking Taiwan from even observer status at international organizations like the World Health Organization.