China has strongly condemned the European Commission’s recent stance on Taiwan, calling it “gross interference” in its internal affairs, as reported by Taiwan News. The criticism follows comments by EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen, who has been vocal in her support for Taiwan and cautioning against unilateral changes to the status quo in the region.
In a recent manifesto, von der Leyen, a German politician, emphasized the significance of the Indo-Pacific region and advocated for collective action to prevent China from altering Taiwan’s status through military means. Her remarks have sparked a sharp rebuke from Beijing, with Wang Lutong, Director General for European Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warning that “playing with fire on Taiwan is highly dangerous.”
Wang criticized Europe’s interventionist approach, stating, “Meddling and even trying to join forces is by no means a right choice for Europe.”
Meanwhile, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te expressed gratitude for von der Leyen’s “steadfast support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” and voiced hopes for stronger EU-Taiwan relations.
Von der Leyen, recently re-elected as President of the EU, pledged to work closely with regional partners like Japan and Australia to tackle shared challenges. Her agenda includes preventing China from disrupting the Taiwan Strait’s status quo—a concern underscored by predictions that China may attempt to attack Taiwan by 2027.
