In her program for the next five years, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen addressed the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region in global affairs.
She pledged to work closely with Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia to overcome this challenge.
"This involves our collective efforts to deploy the full range of our joint strategies to deter China from unilaterally changing the status quo through military means, especially with regard to Taiwan," von der Leyen stated, the "European Truth" reports.
Von der Leyen also expressed concern about the rapid increase in China's military expenditure.
"The EU's total defense spending increased by 20% from 2019 to 2021. During this time, Russia's defense spending increased by almost 300%, and China's by nearly 600%," she noted.
Potential Conflict Timeline
The US has predicted that a potential Chinese military action against Taiwan could occur by 2027, which would be during the middle of von der Leyen's possible second term.
The four countries von der Leyen mentioned for cooperation on Taiwan are also NATO's four Indo-Pacific partners.
John Aquilino, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, recently remarked on China's increasingly aggressive rhetoric and actions in Asia.
Von der Leyen's commitment to deterring China underscores the EU's strategic interest in maintaining stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
