China Criticizes EU President Ursula von der Leyen for Supporting Taiwan
China has criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her support of Taiwan, calling it interference in China’s internal affairs. Von der Leyen, re-elected as EU President, emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and called for collective efforts to deter China from changing the status quo in Taiwan.
In her manifesto, von der Leyen described the Indo-Pacific as a decisive region and called for combined statecraft to prevent China from unilaterally changing the status quo by military means, particularly over Taiwan. Beijing responded by saying her policy guidelines constituted gross interference in China’s internal affairs.
Wang Lutong, Director General for European Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned that playing with fire on Taiwan is highly dangerous and that meddling is not a right choice for Europe.
Earlier, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te congratulated von der Leyen for her steadfast support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He expressed his desire to build stronger ties with the EU based on shared commitments to human rights and democracy.
Von der Leyen, from the center-right European People’s Party, was re-elected after a secret ballot with the backing of 401 Members of the European Parliament. She is the 13th president of the EU and its first female leader. In her manifesto, she outlined plans for Europe to work closely with regional actors like Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia to address common challenges in cyber, space, and the secure supply of critical minerals and technologies.
She further added that Beijing should be prevented from upsetting the decades-long status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The US believes China intends to attack Taiwan in 2027, which would be in the middle of von der Leyen’s new five-year mandate.
Doubts Revealed
EU -: EU stands for the European Union, which is a group of 27 countries in Europe that work together on common policies and trade.
Ursula von der Leyen -: Ursula von der Leyen is a politician from Germany who is the President of the European Commission, which is like the executive branch of the European Union.
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island near China that has its own government, but China claims it as part of its territory.
Indo-Pacific region -: The Indo-Pacific region includes countries around the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, like India, Japan, and Australia.
status quo -: Status quo means the current situation or the way things are right now.
Taiwan Strait -: The Taiwan Strait is the body of water that separates Taiwan from mainland China.
Lai Ching-te -: Lai Ching-te is the President of Taiwan, who supports peace and stability in the region.
