TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned against altering the situation in the Taiwan Strait during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) on Thursday (April 6).

“Nobody should unilaterally change the status quo by force in this region,” Politico quoted Von der Leyen as saying. “The threat of the use of force to change the status quo is unacceptable,” she added.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked Von der Leyen for her supportive remarks, pointing out that in recent years, the EU has reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions, just as the U.S. and other like-minded countries. Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with global democratic partners to “jointly maintain security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as global freedom and democracy,” the ministry said.

Von der Leyen was invited by Macron to highlight European unity but will not take part in most meetings and events between Xi and Macron.

China’s Fujian maritime safety administration on Wednesday (April 5) launched a three-day joint patrol operation including "on-site inspections" on cargo ships and construction vessels in the Taiwan Strait "to ensure the safety of vessel navigation and ensure the safe and orderly operation of key projects on water."

The decision came ahead of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California in Thursday.