Informed sources said that the United States is studying options to impose a package of sanctions on China to deter it from attacking Taiwan, at a time when the European Union is under diplomatic pressure from Taiwan to do the same.
The sources added that the deliberations in Washington and Taiwan's pressure on EU envoys are still at an early stage, and the idea of possible US sanctions is to take measures beyond measures taken by the West to restrict trade and investment with China in sensitive technologies such as computer chips and communications equipment.
A US official and an official from a country that coordinates closely with Washington said that talks in Washington on imposing sanctions against Beijing began after Russia launched war on Ukraine on February 24, but became urgent after China responded to the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. Last month.
Pelosi visit
China conducted war games last month near Taiwan after the US House Speaker's visit to Taipei. Within a week, Beijing sent warships, missiles and fighter planes to Taiwan's waters and airspace, in exercises that are the largest since the mid-1990s.
Pelosi, a fierce critic of Beijing, was the highest-ranking US official-elect to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to reunite Taiwan - which enjoys self-rule - with the rest of the Chinese territory, and did not rule out the use of force to achieve this.
European side
Six sources familiar with the discussions between Taiwan and Europe told Reuters that Taipei had proposed imposing sanctions on China with European officials after the start of Russia's war on Ukraine, but that Beijing's recent military exercises made Taiwan's stance even tougher.
A recent report issued by the Chinese government and the withdrawal of its pledge not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if Beijing took control of the island, prompted Taiwan to make redoubled efforts with Europe.
A source familiar with the discussions said that Taiwan did not ask anything specific from the Europeans, and asked them to plan what actions it might take if China carried out its attack on Taiwan, and Taipei also asked Europe to warn Beijing - but not publicly - that it will face consequences.