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EU will not follow US’ China policy, top diplomat says in fiery debate with lawmakers
- Josep Borrell distanced bloc from Washington’s broad push to ban export of high-end chips seen as attempt to cripple Beijing’s hi-tech sector
- But some lawmakers voiced disappointment in the EU’s perceived softening approach, with one noting ‘low ebb’ in bilateral relations
Finbarr Bermingham in Brussels
Published: 6:30am, 23 Nov, 2022
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
The European Union will not follow the United States’ toughest policies on China, its top diplomat insisted during a bruising debate on Tuesday in which he clashed with lawmakers calling for a more aggressive approach to Beijing.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell distanced the bloc from the US’ broad push to ban the export of high-end chips, which is seen as an attempt to cripple China’s hi-tech sector and has caused consternation among the EU’s own semiconductor makers.
“Certainly, the United States are our most important ally, but, in some cases, we will not be in the same position or on the same approach towards China,” Borrell said, adding that the US’ “drastic reduction of China’s access” to technology is a “decision that has to be taken into account”.
His remarks echoed those of Dutch officials, who have pushed back against American efforts to build a common front blocking China’s access to semiconductors. Dutch company ASML is one of Europe’s few global players in the semiconductor manufacturing space.
While Brussels will “be engaged in a systemic rivalry” with China, Borrell’s tone reflected a relative thawing in ties following a series of meetings between EU national political leaders and Xi Jinping, China’s president.
Xi met with the elected leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain in recent weeks during a flurry of diplomatic activity in Beijing and Bali. Each stated a wish to maintain strong trade ties, even as they vowed to hold China to account for its human rights record. Leaders of EU institutions, however, found themselves watching from the sidelines.
When it comes to China, “differing models of governance and different visions of multilateralism … should not and are not stopping us from engaging with each other”, Borrell said.
He urged lawmakers to “take into account the reality of life, the complexity of this reality and the need for the European Parliament to contribute to it as well”. Borrell’s statement reflected frustration among EU diplomats that they pay the price for the body’s pronouncements on China.
Whenever the European Parliament criticises China – which has been frequently in recent years – the EU’s ambassador in Beijing is summoned or given formal diplomatic notice of China’s displeasure. In August, the Post reported that the Chinese government views parliamentary statements as official EU policy.
“We cannot think that we can build a future without taking into account the enormous strength of a country that is called to play its rightful role in the world due to its size, due to its economic strength,” Borrell said. “That is independent of the fact that our political system is not the same as yours. Of course it isn’t.”
A prickly Borrell engaged in a fiery back and forth with lawmakers led by Reinhard Buetikofer, the head of the parliament’s China delegation, who said he was “very disappointed” with Borrell’s perceived softening approach to Beijing.
“Mr Borrell, I’m disappointed. I heard from you a lot of generalities but very little indeed about the reality of EU-China relations. Maybe there isn’t so much to report on what kind of relationship we have,” the German MEP said.
“There is no point in putting lipstick on a pig. EU-China relations are at a very low ebb.”
Belgian member Hilde Vautmans was one of several lawmakers to slam German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to visit China last month, as well as his pushing through a sale of a stake in a Hamburg port terminal to a Chinese state-owned shipping giant.
“He couldn’t understand why selling a part of the port of Hamburg to China would be such a problem,” said Vautmans. “Is that really what he wanted after the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Is that really the lessons that we’ve learned?”
But Borrell said he could not understand what the fuss was all about.
“Isn’t it normal that the German chancellor who exports 3 per cent or more of his products to China [goes]?” he asked. “How many times did Chancellor [Angela] Merkel go to China?”
Borrell’s tone on China was markedly more muted than in April when he last addressed the European Parliament on the economic giant. At the time he described a recent EU-China summit as a “dialogue of the deaf” and noted China was not interested in discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, by comparison, Borrell said Beijing had shown “clear red lines” in its relations with Russia.
“China has not condemned yet the war of [aggression] of Russia against Ukraine – and the atrocities that are happening there, but it has set out clear red lines, and is increasingly concerned about the global consequences,” he said.
The red lines, the Spaniard added, pertained to “the use of nuclear weapons”, and he said Beijing at the G20 in Bali had sent “a clear message about the global consequences and the concern they have about [them]”.
Nonetheless, Borrell warned that China was moving in a direction the EU did not like following the recent 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
The concerns included “President Xi Jinping’s personal hold on the Chinese [Communist] party, state and people, even a stronger hold of the party on the state, and, in particular, on public enterprises [and] the growing ideological nature of the Chinese political system with the development of both Chinese Marxist style – or Chinese way – and hyper-nationalistic rhetoric”.
EU not following US’ toughest policies on China, says top diplomat
Josep Borrell distanced bloc from Washington’s broad push to ban export of high-end chips seen as attempt to cripple Beijing’s hi-tech sector.
www.scmp.com
