A former Trump administration Pentagon official said Europe is unlikely to help the American military if conflicts between China and Taiwan escalate into war, in an interview conducted with Politico on Tuesday.
Elbridge Colby, the former deputy assistant Secretary of Defense during the Trump administration, warned that Europe’s vulnerable economic status would prevent them from joining forces with the U.S. in sanctions against China, should it take control of the island of Taiwan. Europe is already suffering economically due to its split from the Russian economy – and Colby believes it will be too risky for them to commit to the U.S. in a joint sanction move against China.
“Let’s say, the Chinese attack Taiwan, they successfully push back the American military and they seize the island of Taiwan, and the Americans said, ‘Oh, please join us in a massive economic war against China to try to convince Beijing to give up Taiwan – at the cost of your economic well-being,'” Colby said.
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in April to discuss diplomatic relations.
“I don’t think Europeans are very likely to join in such an economic campaign that would likely be futile,” said Colby.
French President Emmanuel Macron has already signaled he believes Europe might not be best served with following the United States’ lead with regards to Taiwan, and that Europe should not “become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda.” (RELATED: Different Interpretations’: Top Taiwanese Official Responds To Biden’s Remarks About US Troops In Taiwan)
“Macron is basically communicating that we should not rely on the Europeans for something that wouldn’t actually matter anyway,” said Colby. “Macron kind of suggested…that the Europeans would somehow kowtow to Beijing because the Americans are more focused on Asia. Now, that’s not in Europe’s interest either. I don’t think Europe has an interest in being a plaything, economically or otherwise, of Beijing.”
Colby’s comments come just a day after a Chinese warship almost rammed into a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, which was conducting a “routine” operation in the Taiwan Strait.
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