Top EU diplomat calls for European navy patrols in Taiwan Strait amid tensions

The European Union's foreign policy chief has called for maritime patrols along the Taiwan Strait in a sharp contrast to France’s announcement that it is opposed to the EU being caught up in the escalation of tensions between China and the United States.

In an opinion piece published in French Weekly on Sunday, Josep Borrell wrote that the bloc's battleships should patrol the Taiwan Strait in a show of commitment.

In regard to EU presence in the Taiwan Strait, Borrell insisted that Europeans must be "very present on this issue," noting that developments in regard to the US-China crisis in the region concerned the European continent "economically, commercially and technologically."

Borrell's opinion piece repeated his recent remarks on Tuesday at a debate on China held at the European Parliament.

"Taiwan is clearly part of our geostrategic perimeter to guarantee peace," Borrell said at the debate. "It is not only for a moral reason that an action against Taiwan must necessarily be rejected. It is also because it would be, in economic terms, extremely serious for us, because Taiwan has a strategic role in the production of the most advanced semiconductors," he said.

Macron rejects US policy on Taiwan, says France is not US 'vassal'

Macron reaffirms France

French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited China earlier this month, reaffirmed Paris’ stance on Taiwan, saying “France is for the status quo in Taiwan" and a "peaceful resolution to the situation."

However, he did stir controversy by adding that the Elysee Palace was not a follower of US foreign policy in regard to China.

To be a US ally does not mean being a "vassal" state of the US, Macron insisted.

“If the tensions between the two superpowers heat up … we won’t have the time nor the resources to finance our strategic autonomy and we will become vassals,” he warned, urging his fellow European leaders to become self-reliant.

Macron said in an interview, “The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No.”

Macron says Europe must cut reliance on US dollar, seek ‘strategic autonomy’

French President Emmanuel Macron calls on European countries to lower their dependence on the US dollar and resist pressure to become vassal states of Washington or take sides in the China-US conflict over Taiwan.

Macron's remarks, however, sparked controversy among the ranks of the 27-nation trade union.

The remarks were seen as an EU attempt to seek independence from the US and create its own autonomous military force.

Some EU leaders showed skepticism about severing their ties with the US and making a shift towards China.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki claimed the Europeans were making a potentially historic mistake by seeking greater ties with China.

"Short-sightedly they look to China to be able to sell more EU products there at huge geopolitical costs, making us more dependent on China and not less," Morawiecki said on Thursday during a visit to Washington.

"You cannot protect Ukraine today and tomorrow by saying Taiwan is not your business," he said, paraphrasing Macron without naming him. "I think, God forbid, if Ukraine falls, if Ukraine gets conquered, the next day China may attack -- can attack -- Taiwan."

Beijing is opposed to seeing foreign military intervention around China, and in regard to Chinese Taipei, Beijing views Taiwan as an inseparable part of China's territory.

China has not ruled out using force to restore its sovereignty over the island if diplomatic means fail.

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