Borrell calling off China visit is diplomatically opportune amid tension over Taiwan

The symptom-free coronavirus infection that prompted European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to call off a visit to Beijing due to start on Thursday may not have been a diplomatic illness. But as French president Emmanuel Macron’s call for Europe to adopt an independent policy on Taiwan continues to create ripples, Borrell’s condition could be diplomatically opportune.

His visit to Beijing was due to coincide with those of Brazilian president Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, who is deepening his country’s ties to China, and Germany’s hawkish foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. With Chinese warplanes still operating close to Taiwan after three days of military exercises around the island, the question of Europe’s approach to the issue would have been inescapable.

In remarks to journalists during his visit to China last week, Macron said that Europe should not allow its policy to be determined either by China or the United States.

“The question for us Europeans is: do we have an interest in accelerating on the subject of Taiwan? No,” Macron said.

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“The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should be followers on this subject and adapt to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.

“Why should we go at a pace chosen by others? At some point, we must ask ourselves the question of our interest.”

[ Why is Taiwan so important to the US? ]

[ Macron allies defend Taiwan comments ]

He also warned against allowing Europe to get “caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its strategic autonomy”. Although Macron’s comments drew criticism on both sides of the Atlantic, European Council president Charles Michel said European leaders were increasingly favourable towards the idea of strategic autonomy.

In Beijing, where policymakers have all but given up on an early improvement in the relationship with Washington, European strategic autonomy has long been encouraged. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Weibo said on Wednesday that it was no surprise that Macron’s remarks had been unwelcome in the US.

“From our perspective, a certain country is reluctant to see other countries being independent, and often seeks to coerce others into doing its bidding,” Weibo said.

“But the truth is, strategic autonomy will bring more respect and friends, while coercion and pressure will only cause more resistance and opposition.”

In his meetings with Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen last week, Xi Jinping said there was no possibility of any compromise in Beijing’s position on Taiwan.

[ China has 'moral duty' to contribute to peace in Ukraine, says EU's Borrell ]

Beijing maintains that the self-governing island is part of its national territory and must be reintegrated, preferably by peaceful means but with the use of military force an option.

Xi was non-committal on Ukraine when Macron and von der Leyen asked him to press Vladimir Putin to make peace and to talk to Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The European leaders were polite about China’s position paper calling for a ceasefire but they believe it is too early for peace talks while the situation on the battlefield remains so dynamic.

[ The Irish Times view on China and the EU: Macron’s message ]

During his visit to Beijing, Lula is expected to renew his push for peace in Ukraine, adding his voice to Xi’s and increasing the pressure from the global south to end a war that ignores their interests.