“For effective dialogue with China, we must align our positions and express them not in one voice, but as a well-tuned choir, because we have a multiplicity of voices. Many voices but trying to say the same thing, or at least on the same wavelength. Pluralism should not be a problem as long as there is a consensus-based stance,” the EU’s high representative for foreign policy warned on Tuesday. Josep BorrellDuring a debate in the European Parliament after French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China, sparked by his statements about strategic autonomy against partners such as China and Taiwan and the United States. “It is very important for Europe. It is part of our geostrategic environment”, the Spanish politician warned about the territory of Taiwan and urged Twenty-Seven to readjust the strategy against China, in order to adapt it to the new conditions, but with “realism” and above all “unity”.
Borrell acknowledged that relations between the EU and China could not develop normally if Beijing did not use it to gain influence in Russia. Vladimir Putin withdraw your troops from Ukraine and end the war. “Any neutrality that does not distinguish between the aggressor and the victim is to take the side of the aggressor.” Even so, he came back to argue that we should continue to talk to China, which is “a superpower” because of its “enormous influence in the world” because “dialogue is the foundation of international politics”. He reminded that despite the existing rivalry with the Asian giant and “even though China is not a democracy”, “cooperation should not be rejected” in major global problems such as climate change, and that he advocates avoiding a “cold war” between the two countries. For showing more interest in the countries of the South, where the West and the East and China have been courting for years in the construction of a world order “different from the one the West has built”.
“Our strategy for China should be based on four words: values, economic security, Taiwan and Ukraine,” he warned, emphasizing the strategic importance of both Taiwan and Ukraine, which supplies 90 percent of semiconductors to the EU. . . “Taiwan is very important to Europe because it is the most strategic strait in the world and especially for our trade,” Borrell said. geostrategic environment.” Europe. “I am confident that all European countries share this position,” he added, to the need to guarantee peace and the interests of the continent “without fueling the fire”.
Recalibrate the strategy
The European Union last updated its strategy regarding China in 2019. Since then “the world has changed, Europe has changed and our European strategy also needs to adapt,” said the President of the Commission. Ursula von der LeyenAccompanying the French leader on his trip to Beijing, which he described as “necessary” to clear up misunderstandings. Noting with concern Beijing’s position on human rights, its presence in China, the German acknowledged that “this discussion is urgent and good” because “this relationship is too important for us to define our own European strategy.” Economic and commercial coercion of Member States such as maritime or Lithuania.
On Beijing’s strategy of control and dependency, von der Leyen said, “China has turned the page in an era of reforms and opening up and is moving towards an era of security and control.” said. Community leaders recognize that the Asian giant is a “vital” partner and show them these numbers: day trading worth €2.3 billion. At the same time, Brussels sees it as “urgent” to rebalance the relationship with transparency, predictability and reciprocity. “We want China to respect the equal footing of our companies’ access to the Chinese market, to respect transparency in subsidies and intellectual property,” von der Leyen said. said.
And beyond that, the risks posed by the link between Chinese commercial and military sector. “We must ensure that our companies’ capital, experience and knowledge are not used to enhance the military and intelligence capabilities of those who are also our systemic competitors. This cannot happen”, the German warned of the need to examine gaps in European legislation that allow emerging and sensitive technologies to leak through investments in other countries. “We are currently considering whether and how Europe should develop an investment vehicle for a very small but very sensitive number of technologies.” moon.