EU leaders have warned against being drawn into a confrontation with China and a breakdown in relations, but said they will defend their principles and independence in relations with Beijing.
During a summit in Brussels on Friday, the 27-nation bloc held three hours of strategic talks on its approach to China, as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on an ever more assertive Beijing.
Torn between a desire to gain access to China’s vast markets and condemnation of its rights abuses in Xinjiang, as well as aggressive policies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the EU has struggled to form a coherent stance toward Beijing.
“This discussion showed a very clear will to avoid naivety, but we also did not want to embark on the logic of systematic confrontation. [with China]Summit host and EU Council President Charles Michel said on Friday.
Michel insisted that the bloc had “its own model to develop” at a time of intense competition between China and the United States.
“We will always remain resolute to defend our principles, democracy and fundamental freedoms,” Michel said.
Since 2019, the European Union has officially considered China a partner, economic competitor and systemic competitor.
An EU foreign policy paper prepared for the summit stated that Beijing should now be seen primarily as a competitor promoting an “alternative vision of the world order”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Beijing “continues with its mission to consolidate its hegemony in East Asia and its influence on a global scale.” She also warned of the close ties between China and Russia, despite international condemnation of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“These developments will affect the relations between the European Union and China,” von der Leyen said.
The EU is also keen to ensure that it does not fall into a trap – as it did with Russia – of relying on China for critical raw materials and technologies.
“Obviously, we have to be very vigilant when it comes to dependency. We’ve learned our lesson,” von der Leyen said.
In response to the EU leaders’ comments, a spokesperson for China’s mission to the EU said late Friday that the “deeply ideologically oriented statements” reflect the views of some people who “cling to a political bloc mentality, pride themselves on their own values as the ultimate truth and the reckless imposition of their ideology.” on others.”
“China … equally opposes and urges everyone to remain alert to the growing clamor of ideological confrontation that may lead to clashes or even confrontations between civilizations,” the spokesman said in a statement.
China is committed to peace, friendship and cooperation with other countries, and believes that “China and the EU are partners, not competitors, and the cooperation between China and the EU is far superior to our competition,” the spokesman said.
Our spokesperson talks about a question regarding feedback on #China Made by #European Union leader
👉https://t.co/xmQQ8h4htZ pic.twitter.com/8JLx4eShgZ– China Mission to the European Union (ChinaEUMission) October 21 2022
“strategic errors”
The EU seeks to present a united front on China, but this has been clouded by the differing economic interests of its members.
“We have made strategic mistakes in the past by selling infrastructure to China,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, who has called for a more equal playing field between Beijing and the European Union.
Olaf Schulz, the leader of Germany, the bloc’s economic powerhouse, announced Friday after the summit that he would take a German government delegation to China next month. This will be the first visit by an EU leader to the country since November 2019.
“There is a huge consensus,” Schulz said. “No one is saying we can no longer invest there, we can no longer import from China.”
But other leaders were concerned about Schultz’s upcoming visit.
“With China, the same as with Russia, it is in their interest that we are divided,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
“It is in our best interest to unite and speak with one voice.”
The EU discussion on China comes as a top US general warned this week that Washington should be ready to respond to a possible invasion of Taiwan as soon as this year.
Asked about the EU’s contingency plans for a possible invasion of Taiwan, Michel refused to make any “prophecy in the military sphere”.
An EU strategy paper prepared for the summit urged member states to preemptively warn China of “potential consequences” if it sought to gain control of Taiwan through force.
Latvian Prime Minister, Krisjanis Karenz, said it was important that the EU also talks with China to make sure it was “on the right side of history” about Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“It is better to deal with China when we are 27, not when we are one-on-one against China,” he said.
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