30.11.2025
by Polis 180 Fall Academy
An armed conflict between China and Taiwan appears more likely than ever. This would have major implications for the EU. However, Europe still appears to be woefully unprepared for such an escalation. Tensions have risen in recent years over the status of the self-governed region, which calls itself the Republic of China but is considered by the People’s Republic of China an integral part of its own territory. US policymakers of all stripes seem convinced that an invasion of Taiwan would be “only the precursor” to further Chinese expansionism in the region. Regional actors, including Japan or the Philippines, seem to share the analysis to a certain extent, with Japan deeming the security of Taiwan as vital to its own national security. This paper argues that the EU and its member states need to increase preparedness in fields such as security, economic resilience and overall foresight efforts. Using existing leverage and attempting to manage tensions across the Taiwan Strait are key to navigate while still upholding the EU’s core values.
During a three-day workshop in Berlin in October 2025, 28 participants from different academic and professional backgrounds collaborated to find initial answers to these exact questions. In three working groups – strategic considerations, economic dimensions as well as a European perspective on the situation – they focused on some of the most pressing issues that have been neglected by European actors so far. Their findings are thought to give decision-makers and other interested actors a first impulse to develop a clearer European vision as to how a conflict can be avoided, without compromising the continent’s security and economic foundations.