A conflict between China and Taiwan would leave Europe without vital elements for its supply chain

More than 70 fighter jets participated this weekend Chinese exercises around Taiwanafter President Joe Biden signed legislation to increase military assistance to the autonomous island.

A conflict between Taipei and Beijing would leave Britain and European countries no vitals for your production line: subconductors, communication chips, and drugs, such as antibiotics, which 85% is made in China.

The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army “organized joint combat readiness patrols and joint attack drillswith firepower in the airspace and waters around Taiwan on December 25,” said Colonel Shi Yi, command spokesman.

The reason for the mobilization

Beijing’s show of force came shortly after Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act, containing a clause to be provided until $10 billion in military assistance to the island for five years.

Washington has a security pact with the island to deter any invasion from China. The US government opposes any armed attempt to take the island but insists that the matter be resolved peacefully.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said up to 71 Chinese military aircraft had been detected seven warships in “our region”, in 24 hours until 6 am on Monday. This is the largest number of aircraft that China has been sending these exercises since they started in September 2020.

Taiwan said so it responded by sending land-based aircraft, ships and missile systems to monitor the situation.

Shi described the Chinese drills as “a resolute response to growing US-Taiwan collusion and provocation.”

Of the 71 Chinese aircraft, 47 crossed the midline or its extension to enter the island’s air defense identification zone in the southwest, the Taiwanese military said. The aircraft included 18 J-16s, 12 J-11s, six J-10s and six Su-30s.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of Chinese territory and has promised seize the island by force if necessary.

On Saturday, China’s foreign ministry said US law ‘exaggerates the Chinese threat narrative'”clearly interfering in China’s international affairs” and attacking the Communist Party.

Effects in the West and in Europe

China sent 71 fighter jets to Taiwan’s borders over the weekend.

A summer report stated that some members of the US intelligence community believed that China could strike as early as 2024.

Whitehall officials say that in the event of an invasion, the West would inevitably impose itself heavy sanctions in Beijing and that trade with Taiwan would be eliminated. Xi Xinping and President Vladimir Putin will meet this week.

Taiwan produces 65% of the world’s semiconductors and nearly 90 percent of the most advanced chips, used in telecommunications and computers.

This month, the government announced a deal with Japan to improve collaboration in technology supply chains, and the US recently set aside $39 billion for domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

In the UK

The UK government remains concerned that many UK companies they are not prepared enough for the economic upheaval that any conflict would cause.

British imports from China last year totaled £63.6 billion or 13.3 percent of all imported goods. The effect will be in the supply chain and it will be worse than during the covid pandemic.

“‘Just in time. It’s absolutely wonderful in terms of economic efficiency. But in times of crisis, resilience is so much more important,” said a senior Whitehall official. “Companies need to think ahead about their supply chains. Covid has shown the fragility of our supply chains in all kinds of areas and organizations”.

Alicia Kearns, chair of the select committee on foreign affairs, said any decision to impose sanctions on China would affect every household in Britain. “If we think about the impact of the war in Ukraine on the people of Great Britain, it would be nothing compared to any conflict over Taiwan“, She said.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, declared Britain “I have never been so economically dependent on a country” who was not an ally “like we in China are right now”.

Paris, correspondent

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