Europe-China relations worsened in 2020-2021. Since then, there has not been a fundamental improvement in the bilateral relations. China’s so-called “pro-Russian neutrality” stance in the midst of the Russia-Ukraine War further raises concerns from the EU and many European countries about the implications of the war for peace and security across the Taiwan Strait. Consequently, there seems a trend that China is viewed as a rival rather than a partner or a competitor in Europe. This is reflected in the fact that both the EU and NATO list China as one of their security concerns in their strategic documents, although given the distance between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the immediate threats from Russia, European states have not been able to form a common strategy on China. At the state level, three major European states——France, Germany, and the United Kingdom——continue to implement their respective Indo-Pacific strategy or policy. They have not neglected the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and China’s security threats, and expressed their presence in the region through military exercises.

In this context, Taiwan enjoys support from the EU, in particular from the European Parliament. Taiwan should seize the opportunity and advance its relations with the EU and European countries through shared values, Taiwan’s experiences in countering China’s threats, its achievements in public health and disaster prevention and reduction, and strength in trade and technology, among others.