By Brian Iselin, Associate Editor

Germany’s decision to sail the Baden-Württemberg through the Taiwan Strait was a moral declaration. For the first time in 22 years, Germany challenged Beijing’s suffocating grip on these waters and exposed the rot of appeasement that has long corroded Western resolve. This move rejects the notion of provocation and instead recognizes that freedom demands action, not empty slogans. The rules-based order requires defence with steel.

The Strait as a Litmus Test for European Spine

China’s claim over Taiwan is a lie wrapped in historical revisionism. The Baden-Württemberg’s transit — accompanied by the supply ship Frankfurt am Main — shattered Beijing’s fantasy of uncontested dominance. By choosing the “shortest and safest route” through international waters, Germany affirmed a simple truth: Might does not make right. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius’ blunt declaration — “International waters are international waters” — should be etched into Europe’s diplomatic playbook.

Taiwan produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors, including 90% of the most advanced chips. A Chinese blockade would cripple global supply chains, paralysing industries from Berlin to Boston. Europe’s economic survival depends on keeping these waters open. The German frigate’s voyage is existential.

Europe’s Delayed Awakening

For years, Europe hid behind America’s naval shadow, outsourcing its security while China militarised artificial islands and threatened neighbours. The EU’s 2021 Indo-Pacific strategy promised a pivot, but actions lagged. France’s Emmanuel Macron even dismissed Taiwan as a “crisis not ours” — a staggering failure of leadership. The Baden-Württemberg’s transit marks a reversal. By joining U.S., Australian, and Japanese forces in exercises like Noble Raven 24–3, Germany signalled that European passivity is dead.

This shift is for survival. The EU’s Coordinated Maritime Presence framework, though nascent, offers a blueprint for pooling naval resources to counter China’s expansionism. Italy’s carrier strike group and now Germany’s frigate prove that Europe can project power when it chooses to.

China’s Weakness Exposed

Beijing’s reaction to the transit, all scripted lines and dramatic gestures worthy of Beijing opera, exposes its bluster as performance not substance.

China knows Europe is waking up. The PLA’s 2027 invasion deadline for Taiwan is not a plan; it’s a desperate gambit. By sailing the Strait, Europe spoke plainly to Xi Jinping: Your threats are hollow.

The EU’s economic leverage is equally potent. Sanctions targeting Chinese consumer goods could devastate export-reliant industries. Imagine BMWs and Louis Vuitton bags rotting in warehouses while Europe pivots to Southeast Asia. China’s economy, already faltering, cannot afford this reckoning.

A Call for European Unity

Sceptics argue the EU is fractured. Yet Macron’s recent assertiveness — standing up to Trump and championing European unity on Ukraine — shows a leader far removed from isolationism. His approach may differ in tone from von der Leyen’s, but both are now driving a more confident, outward-facing Europe. But the Baden-Württemberg’s mission proves consensus is possible. Lithuania, a vocal Taiwan supporter, stood beside Pistorius during the announcement. The Federation of German Industries praised the move as a defence of the “eroding rules-based order.” Even cautious (unsugar-coated, read: cowardly) diplomats now admit: Taiwan’s democracy is worth protecting.

The path forward is clear:

• Expand naval patrols: Deploy EU task forces to the Strait routinely, not as one-offs.
• Sanction pre-emptively: Draft measures to cripple China’s economy if it attacks Taiwan.
• Arm Taiwan: Provide submarines and missile systems to fortify the island’s defences.

The Cost of Cowardice

Europe’s options are binary: Surrender to authoritarianism or defend liberty. The Baden-Württemberg chose the latter. Its voyage through the Taiwan Strait stands as a line in the sand. Let Beijing seethe. Let Macron equivocate. History will remember who stood for order, and who cowered.

With thanks to Vice Admiral Kaack, Chief of the German Navy, the EU’s naval power play is the launch pad. Now, double down.