This is CBS, I On the World.

I'm John Batchel. Gordon Chang, at Gordon G. Chang, my colleague and co-host, and we welcome

Steve Yates at the Heritage Foundation to comment on a headline in London, Guardian

paper.

Taiwan Vice President presses case at EU Parliament for joint efforts to counter China.

China angered by the address goes to subhead, criticizing Europe for allowing, quote, separatist

activities to be carried out in a parliament building. Steve, a very good day to you. Here's the puzzle. Is Europe reliable as an

ally when it comes to defending the people of Taiwan and East Asia from the Chinese predator?

The reason I ask is that it's been some time since I've seen Europe united in any fashion whatsoever

about Ukraine.

And I thought, why wouldn't they extend that to Taiwan?

Why wouldn't they blame the United States for not leading?

Why wouldn't they blame anyone but themselves

for making a calculation that is not based on ideology, that's based on what's in it for me.

So your measure of the European Union, have they been loud voiced in the past about defending

Taiwan, or have they always been muted? Good evening to you.

Well, thank you, John. The EU as a body has improved a modest

amount in recent years in terms of what they would say, whether it was reports that they were

putting out about challenges from China and Taiwan being characterized as one of those potential flashpoints that presents a challenge.

But the EU and European countries generally have not had a heavy footprint in determining the balance of power in East Asia,

determining the deterrence equation for freedom of navigation in the high seas or other kinds of

imperatives for Indo-Pacific security. They have occasionally played roles, and that is welcome,

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