Old Hat, New Rhetoric: The EU`s Policy toward Taiwan after the Fifth Enlargement

Abstract

On May 1, 2004, the European Union (EU) experienced the largest expansion in its history, a process that has lent new weight to the idea of expanded EU involvement in East Asia. This article examines whether there has been a change in the EU`s foreign policy with respect to Taiwan since its fifth enlargement. Evidence for this is sought in the EU`s policy statements on Asia and China. The political behavior of the EU has not changed, although there has been a modification in rhetoric. The EU, notwithstanding its claim to be a global actor, continues to keep out of one of the biggest conflicts in East Asia. The new members` interests in the East Asia region are too weak to alter the EU`s agenda, and their economic priorities are linked to the programs of the EU.