ABSTRACT
Opinions in the European Union about the importance of the Taiwan issue in EU-China relations differ radically.1 Some are tempted to an assessment that this issue has been well managed and is gradually being marginalized by the growing importance of China and the diversity of European interests with it. Others are more cautious: concerned about the growing military tension and imbalance across the Taiwan Strait, they draw our attention to the intricacies of the sovereignty issue and the nationalist passions that, on both sides of the Strait, may disrupt the current awkward and uneasy status quo. In their eyes, the EU cannot ignore this potential “hot spot” and should, in coordination with the United States, initiate a more active policy aimed at helping Beijing and Taipei to narrow their differences and open a more constructive dialogue.
