Subscribe here: [ Ссылка ] certainly this very important topic would require maybe a little bit more time and a better psychological environment and not at 10 o’clock at night, when everybody is tired and the Hemicycle is not very full. It’s not me, nor you – it’s the political groups who decided to discuss at 10 o’clock such an important issue. We are not going to exhaust it. We will have to come back to it. And I want to thank Ms Vautmans and all of the Members who have actually contributed to this report on EU-China relations.

China will mark this century for sure. I’m just coming back from China, by the way. I was there five days ago. I came back last Saturday. I attended the EU-China summit. It’s the first time that it has taken place in person since 2019. And talking to China face-to-face at the highest level was a good experience, and essential in order to have a constructive and stable relation and to understand better where we are and what are our positions. So I was very happy to have this opportunity. I was there before – one month before – to prepare the Strategic Dialogue, which is part of our summit.

What can I say? Well, the least I can say is that our relations are broad and complex. And how we manage them will be crucial for us, crucial for China and even for the world, given the importance of our relations and the global challenges we must face together.

In a new report, MEPs want the EU to engage pragmatically with China on global challenges while continuing to confront Beijing over its severe human rights abuses.

Parliament recognises China’s simultaneous role as a partner but also increasingly a competitor and systemic rival to the EU. The Beijing government is strengthening its role and influence over international institutions, MEPs say, with both the intention and economic, technological and military means to reshape the international rules-based order. They say both the EU and China have an interest in pursuing active and stable relations, which should be based on international law, balanced engagement and shared global responsibilities. Yet they also highlight that China is moving into a new era of security and control characterised by increasing internal repression and an increasingly assertive economic and foreign policy.

Pragmatic engagement on global challenges, more balanced trade needed

Stressing the need for the EU to continue to engage pragmatically with China to tackle global challenges, such as climate change, financial stability risks as well as conflicts and security issues, Parliament urges the EU to engage more with China to get Beijing to stop its support for Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and helping Moscow’s circumvention of EU sanctions. Noting that the ruling Chinese Communist party does not share the same values as European democracies, they also want the European Union to respond more adequately to China’s increasing efforts to change the multilateral rules-based order through tools like the BRICS group and the Belt and Road Initiative. This can be achieved through better coordination among EU member states, more engagement with international partners and through the promotion of the EU’s own Global Gateway strategy

On economic ties, MEPs stress the need to advance the stated goal of de-risking trade flows with China to reinforce the EU’s open strategic autonomy, without turning inwards. They highlight the importance of reciprocal and balanced trade relations, to address the structural shortcoming of the Chinese market and improve fair conditions and market access for European companies.

The EU must confront China over its human rights abuses

Deploring China’s deeply worrisome human rights record, the report also urges the EU to call on the Chinese authorities to stop their crackdown on dissent and on religious and ethnic minorities, and halt their ongoing grave violations. MEPs refer to the alarming situation in Xinjiang and Tibet, but also recent and more long-term developments in Hong Kong and Macao.

They also want the EU to do more to limit Chinese control over critical infrastructure in the EU, as well as to better combat cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns originating from China, the surveillance of the Chinese diaspora in Europe, and espionage.

On Taiwan, and with the EU’s ‘One China policy’ remaining firmly intact, MEPs are opposed to any changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly one by force, and call on the EU to work with regional partners to discourage China from escalating tensions in the region.

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#eudebates the unique initiative aiming to promote debate, dialogue, knowledge, participation and communication among citizens. #China #Xi #Jinping #EU #Russia #Ukraine #war #Putin #trade #Hamas #Taiwan #Tibet #Xinjiang #HongKong

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