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Taiwan election 2024
ChinaPolitics

Taiwan election 2024: silence in Brussels lays bare EU divisions on Taipei

  • The island’s pivotal election has not been on the European Union’s agenda, but cross-strait tensions are making it harder to ignore
  • The chip war, Russia sanctions and the politics of Cyprus force the bloc’s officials to walk tightrope on Taiwan issues

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According to EU sources, Brussels is expected to issue a statement when the result of Taiwan’s election is clear, welcoming the island’s commitment to democracy while appealing for a reduction in cross-strait tensions. Photo: AFP
Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels
Taiwan goes to the polls on Saturday in what will be one of the most closely watched geopolitical events of the year. Yet thousands of miles away in Brussels, Europe’s political capital, you could be forgiven for not realising the election was taking place at all.
Scouring political agendas in the Belgian city this week, there was no mention of Taiwan. Asia-focused diplomats from each EU member state sat down on Thursday for their weekly meeting, but rather than discussing an election that has captured the attention of the world’s media, they planned to talk about Myanmar, Southeast Asia and plans for the bloc’s Indo-Pacific Forum next month.

The silence on the election is “a bit weird”, one senior official conceded, but “not very surprising”. The topic of Taiwan is a hot potato in Brussels, one that divides EU members in private and spooks even the coolest of politicians when asked about it in public forums.

On Wednesday, EU industry boss Thierry Breton, not normally known for watching what he says, spent 45 minutes talking about the “geopolitics of supply chains”, including the need to protect Europe’s chips supply, without mentioning Taiwan once.
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Officials privately say they will work with whoever wins the election, and hope for a clear result that leaves no margin for doubt. They have observed what they described as interference and disinformation by Beijing and fear a “too close to call” election could lead parties to blame external factors and destabilise the region.

As is habitual, Brussels will issue a statement when the result is clear, welcoming Taiwan’s commitment to democracy, according to EU sources. Unlike previous post-election statements, though, the bloc is expected to appeal for a reduction in cross-strait tensions.

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Policymakers walk a rhetorical tightrope on Taiwan. No matter how bland the statement on cross-strait tensions is, it is expected to either incur resistance from Beijing or be taken as a criticism of Taipei under the leadership of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
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