Chips and chokepoints: Why Europe’s security runs through Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan

The security of Europe and the security of the Indo-Pacific are inseparable. This conviction is reinforced by the sight of North Korean soldiers fighting on European soil alongside Russia, the aggressor, in its full-scale invasion of its sovereign neighbour, Ukraine. Yet, Pyongyang’s backing of Moscow pales in comparison with Beijing’s. China has become economically indispensable to Russia and has helped undermine Europe’s security. China and Russia are also connected ideologically and have committed to backing each other’s core interests. For China, Taiwan is a core national interest. Whether Russia would also back China to annex Taiwan remains unclear. It is certain, however, that the tensions in the Taiwan Strait have security implications for Europe. Taiwan plays far too critical a role for Europe to neglect it. Europe must therefore work closely and effectively with its partners in the Indo-Pacific, a region technologically and politically crucial for its security and prosperity.