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Tiptoeing around China – Poland Plays it Safe

Five months into the term of Poland’s new government, Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski delivered a foreign policy exposé, delineating Warsaw’s aims for the upcoming year. Sikorski reaffirmed Poland’s pragmatic stance towards China, balancing economic interests with concerns over ideological disparities and Beijing’s political tactics, while also avoiding any definitive decision to disengage.

Roadblocks Ahead? Taiwan-Europe Relations After 2024 Elections

The victory of Democratic Progressive Party’s William Lai in the 2024 Taiwan presidential elections signals that Taipei is likely to continue its strategy of diversification of foreign relations, which includes building up stronger ties with Europe. At the same time, domestic politics, and tensions between the executive and the legislative branch in particular, can challenge the development of Taiwan-EU ties. Efforts to build up “Taiwan literacy” within the bloc and a clearer Europe strategy in Taipei will be key to safeguarding the progress achieved to date. 

No Disaster, No Strategy – Germany’s Shaky Stance Towards China

Almost nobody wanted Olaf Scholz to go to Beijing right after the Party Congress or to approve the acquisition of a port terminal in Hamburg port by China. Still, he did. The result was ultimately not as bad as expected. However, the concerns among Germany’s key allies are rising, Scholz’s coalition partners get increasingly irritated, and a weather-proof German China approach seems as distant as ever.