EU-China Summit: A Balancing Act of Cooperation and Concerns
The EU leaders are heading to Beijing for a summit, eager to strike a balance between cooperation and addressing their concerns with China. According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the focus should be on tackling "imbalances and differences" between the two global powers.
The EU and China have shared interests in climate policy and artificial intelligence, as von der Leyen acknowledged. However, when their interests diverge, she emphasized that it's crucial to address EU concerns responsibly. Council President Charles Michel shared this sentiment, underscoring the EU's desire for a stable, mutually beneficial relationship with China, while preserving our European values such as human rights and democracy.
In his opening speech, Xi Jinping urged China and the EU to work together to overcome global challenges. The summit schedule is packed with various topics, including climate change, health, and trade disputes. However, one of the more controversial topics on the agenda is the EU's call for China to compromise in trade disagreements.
Over the years, tension has mounted between the EU and China, particularly over trade imbalances. This concern is not new to the EU, who argue that tolerating such imbalances in the long term is not viable. To protect their market, the EU has tools at their disposal, notably by putting tariffs on certain imports.
The EU's stance on curbing the export of sensitive technology to counterbalance trade has met with resistance from China. Beijing dismissed the EU's efforts as nonsensical, asserting that the measures would ultimately harm both sides.
The debate between the two powers is not confined to economic matters; human rights concerns also shape their relationship. Following EU sanctions against China due to the oppression of the Muslim Uyghur minority, Beijing imposed entry bans and other measures against EU politicians, including MEP and former co-leader of the German Greens, Reinhard Bütikofer.
Von der Leyen intends to address this issue during the summit meetings, urging Beijing to lift the sanctions against European politicians.
Enrichment Insights:
- The EU has instituted provisional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), causing discord between the two entities. Both sides have issued retaliatory measures in trade disputes.
- China's intellectual property practices have come under scrutiny from the EU, who argue that Beijing sets global royalty rates for EU standard essential patents (SEPs) without consulting patent holders.
- The US has restricted the export of chips used for artificial intelligence models to certain EU member states, impacting EU AI development and strategic autonomy.
- The EU maintains serious concerns about human rights situations in various Chinese regions, including Tibet, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang, advocating for respect for human rights for all minority populations in China.
Despite these complexities, the EU and China will seek common ground in Beijing, recognizing the need to respond to global challenges together while upholding their fundamental values.
