What Would Europe Do in a Taiwan Crisis?
The article considers a scenario in which Chinese coast guard vessels stop commercial ships approaching Taiwan, Taipei calls it a blockade, and European governments are less certain how to respond. It notes that the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and sanctions decisions generally require unanimity, and that Beijing could exploit European divisions through selective threats, critical-materials leverage, or economic incentives. It also states that European governments are reassessing their dependence on the United States as they take on more of the burden for Ukraine and face uncertainty over the transatlantic relationship.
Why it matters: The article shows that sanctions coordination is a central geoeconomics theme: Europe's unanimity rules and Beijing's selective economic leverage could prevent Washington from converting allied economic power into a coherent instrument during a Taiwan crisis.