The European Parliament has strongly condemned China’s recent military exercises around Taiwan and its “attempts to distort history,” urging Beijing to halt “ongoing military operations,” “economic coercion,” and a “hostile disinformation” campaign targeting Taiwan, a self-governing island China claims as its own.
Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated since Taiwan elected its new president, William Lai, in May. Lai has expressed willingness to resume talks with China but maintains that Taiwan will never be subjugated to Beijing. In response, China has increased its military presence near Taiwan, conducting frequent drills in the area, with the latest maneuvers taking place this month.
MEPs warn that China is “altering the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific” and reject “any unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.” The statement was made in a joint resolution that passed with 432 votes in favor and 60 against, signaling a strong, albeit symbolic, rebuke of China’s efforts to undermine Taiwan’s democracy and restrict its global engagement.
The resolution also criticizes China’s interpretation of UN Resolution 2758, which in 1971 recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations,” thus replacing the Republic of China (RoC) previously represented by the Chiang Kai-shek government. Beijing claims this resolution supports the “One China” principle, which it uses to block Taiwan from joining international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), even as an observer.
Taipei disputes this reading, pointing out that Resolution 2758 only addresses the representation of “Chiang Kai-shek’s representatives” and does not imply Taiwan is part of the PRC or endorse China’s territorial claims over the island. The Parliament’s resolution “emphasizes that UN Resolution 2758 does not take a stance on Taiwan” and “rejects China’s attempts to rewrite history and misinterpret international law.”
The European Parliament also condemns President Xi Jinping for not renouncing the use of force to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control, framing the action as a “reunification” effort, despite the historical fact that the PRC has never governed Taiwan.
In the resolution, MEPs advocate for deeper EU-Taiwan ties, especially in light of China’s close partnership with Russia and the EU’s growing reliance on semiconductors, an area where Taiwan is a global leader. However, official diplomatic ties with Taiwan remain absent, and the European Commission has not pursued a formal investment agreement with Taiwan, fearing backlash from Beijing despite the Parliament’s calls to establish stronger economic relations.
