China’s cooperation message to Europe against economic security concerns

Chinese Premier Li Chiang, on his visits to Germany and France at a time of growing concern for economic security in Europe, called for developing openness and cooperation towards risk perception.

Premier Li, who took office in March, made his first overseas visits to Germany and France, sending the message that China supports Europe’s “strategic autonomy” at a time of heightened competition and tensions with the US. .UU.

Li, who has been in contact in Germany and France since the beginning of the week, met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his counterpart Olaf Scholz in Germany, President Emmanuel Macron and his counterpart Elisabeth Borne in France.

Li, who held the China-Germany intergovernmental consultative conference meeting with his German counterpart in Berlin and attended the Global New Financial Deal Summit hosted by the French government in Paris, met with business representatives from both countries.

ATENTION TIME

Li preferred to pay his first overseas visits as prime minister to two countries, which are the driving forces of the European Union (EU), and delivered the message of developing economic and political relations with the mainland in the face of political confrontation at a time when the global crisis power competition with the US increased.

It should be noted that the visits of the Chinese Prime Minister to Europe coincided with the visit of the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, to Beijing. While Blinken’s visit to China was aimed at establishing communication channels to stabilize tense relations, Li’s contacts in Europe focused on enhancing economic cooperation and easing perceptions of economic security risk.

‘RISK PREVENTION AND COOPERATION ARE NOT OPPOSITIONS’

Premier Li, who started contacts in Berlin on June 18, called for more openness and cooperation, rather than an approach to break economic ties, during a meeting with business representatives there.

“Avoiding risks and cooperating are not opposites,” Li said. Parties understandably have security concerns, but what is important here is how we will rationally define the risks and take appropriate precautions,” she said.

Arguing that governments should create a stable business environment and leave the job of risk assessment and management to enterprises according to market dynamics, Li said: “We hope that Germany will maintain the understanding of the open market and provide a fair business environment. , transparent and non-discriminatory for Chinese companies that invest in the country”.

‘WE DO NOT SEE IT AS A RISK’

Speaking at the China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum, Li expressed his views on the “risk reduction” approach recently voiced in Europe:

“I worked in local governments for a long time, most of the vehicles we used were German brands. When I was Party Secretary for 5 years in Shanghai, the official state-issued vehicle was a Volkswagen-brand car produced in China. I didn’t see it as a risk. When we go to the hospital and they do a CT scan, it’s always done with Siemens devices, but when you walk in, you don’t say ‘This is not safe.’ In China, we didn’t see any of these as risks and we didn’t think ‘Let’s reduce the risk’.”

GERMANY DEFINES CHINA AS A SYSTEMIC COMPETITOR

Li’s visit to Berlin comes after the German government presented its first comprehensive National Security Strategy on June 14. While the Berlin administration defined China as a “systemic competitor” in its new strategy document, it stressed that it “continually engages in actions that contradict Germany’s interests and values.”

In his meeting with Scholz, underlining that they are in favor of strengthening ties instead of separating them between the two countries, he said that “breaking economic ties and applying discriminatory measures to certain countries would be contrary to market rules and the principle of competition”. . on equal terms.”

German Chancellor Scholz said the country had no interest in breaking economic ties with China, but would seek to provide a more level playing field for German companies.

MORE THAN 10 SIGNED COOPERATION AGREEMENTS

Stating that German companies still face difficulties and unfair competition to access the Chinese market, Scholz stressed that they want to diversify trade to achieve balanced partnerships and relationships rather than a “single partner” in economic terms.

Emphasizing the importance of “human rights” in the supply chain, Scholz said that “adequate production conditions and consequently improvements in the human rights situation are in the interest of both countries.”

During Li’s visit, China and Germany signed more than 10 cooperation agreements in various fields, including advanced production technology and environmental protection.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

While discussing the Russia-Ukraine war in his meeting with Li, the German chancellor reiterated his call for China to use its influence on Russia to end the war.

Recalling that he and President Xi Jinping categorically opposed nuclear weapons and the threat to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine during their visit to Beijing in November 2022, Scholz also called on China to continue its commitment not to provide arms support to Russia for the war in Ukraine. .

ECONOMIC SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE EU

Li’s contacts in Germany coincided with the European Union (EU) Commission’s announcement of the “European Economic Security Strategy” on June 20.

The plan, which proposes the establishment of monitoring mechanisms to address certain elements of economic dependency and the risks associated with the transfer of critical technologies to third countries, revealed growing concerns for economic security in Europe.

The strategy, developed to identify and manage risks to the economic security of EU countries, provides for a comprehensive assessment of risks related to energy security, the resilience of supply chains, critical infrastructure and cybersecurity, the technological security, economic dependency and economic stress.

Although China is not mentioned in the strategy, some of the concerns about taking action against economic coercion and dependency within the EU and the transfer of some critical technologies are known to be related to China.

‘WE CONSIDER EUROPE AS AN IMPORTANT POLE’

Li gave similar messages during his meetings with business leaders and representatives in France, which he visited after his contacts in Germany.

The Chinese premier exchanged views on Ukraine and Taiwan issues during his meeting with President Macron in France.

During his visit to Beijing in April, the French leader stressed that he should not act as a “vassal of the United States” in its competition with China, defending “Europe’s strategic autonomy”, and stressed that the escalation of tension on the Taiwan issue not be in the interest of Europe.

Premier Li, in his meeting with his French counterpart Borne, drew attention to the importance of the two countries in establishing “connected relations” and enhancing economic and diplomatic cooperation and coordination in the face of global challenges, saying:

“China sees Europe as an important pole in a multipolar world. We hope that the French side will use its positive influence to encourage Europe to create policies for a more rational and objective understanding of China.”

In his response to Li, the French prime minister stressed that Europe will maintain its strategic autonomy and stressed that he does not support breaking economic ties, cutting off industry and supply chains.

‘THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA IS NOT A RISK, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY’

Taking part in the “Global New Financial Deal Summit” held in Paris, Li stressed that China and Europe should seek common ground by resolving their differences in a world full of conflicts and uncertainties, and for the sustainable development of mankind, they should encourage convergence. instead of separation.

In his meeting with European Council President Charles Michel at the summit, Li pointed out that there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and the EU, that the development of one side benefits the other, saying: “The development of China brings opportunities to the world not risks, stability not shocks to global industry and supply chains. brings it,” he said.

Stressing that China and the EU should develop mutual trust by acting on strategic autonomy and multilateralism, Li said, “such an attitude will contribute to the joint development of China and the EU, a common response to global challenges and building a world multipolar”. world.”

Li expressed the hope that the EU will evaluate its relations with China from an objective and rational point of view, and that practical cooperation will remain on a solid foundation.

Noting that China’s development is beneficial to the EU and the world, Michel said the EU does not seek to suppress China’s development and is against the “new cold war”.

At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October 2022, Li was elected to the Standing Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, rose to second in the party hierarchy, and was appointed prime minister. minister at the general assembly of the Chinese National People’s Congress in March. (AA)