EU Council President Charles Michel, and the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen together switched on Monday with China's President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang via video conference. The virtual summit, a number of boulders were in the way: fear of a Post-Corona-bargain tour of the Chinese by the European corporate landscape, Hong Kong's investments in security-related European supply structures, such as the mobile communications Standard, 5G, the endangered autonomy Status of Hong Kong, disinformation campaigns to Corona.

Given the Plethora of problems it was in Brussels glad that it came to an exchange of views. These opinions remained substantially, apparently, incompatible. AP Von der Leyen, China, to be referred to as competitors and rivals at the same time

warnings of Chinese "shopping tour"

It's part of a lot of things, so that in the usually cautious Brussels diplomatic language of the time, Tacheles is talking about. Especially with the powerful trade partner of China you don't like to verbally. As the European Commission's recommendations for dealing with the new mobile technology 5G said their safety was important to her that these were, allegedly, against a specific country – it was clear that the focus was mainly on the Chinese company Huawei and its strong position in the market.

as the Commission, only last week the measures against the competition presented the advantages of state-subsidised foreign investors in the Common internal market, it was said again, it is not primarily to a specific country. But the Chinese Background was only too clear.

The clear text of the other speeches in Brussels. The tips of the CDU/CSU group in the European Parliament, Daniel Caspary (CDU) and Angelika Niebler (CSU) declared that the initiative of the Commission, you should not allow, "that countries such as China will go on a state-sponsored shopping tour in Europe and at the same time their markets from foreign investment to foreclose".

her CDU colleague Stefan Berger, Rapporteur for the annual competition Report to the Parliament, is even more explicit: "Fresh from the state rehabilitation Chinese companies go on a shopping spree in Europe." By state aid up nurtured Chinese companies could now "aimed at troubled European companies, key technologies at a bargain price to get in to, and and by the way, political objectives".

sale moratorium for troubled firms required

Berger points to a disturbing Trend: Since 2008, there had been in Europe to about 360 Chinese companies. German companies were most sought after. The EU Commission now wants to takeovers, only complete firms, but also greater investments from abroad to a more stringent Regime under throw. They should be subject to a reporting obligation, if the affected investors have recently received state aid. Berger is not enough. He calls for "a six-month sale moratorium of European enterprises in the Wake of the Corona-crisis".

"A robust common Position of the Europeans towards China," the Green Reinhard Bütikofer, Chairman of the China Delegation of the European Parliament. For him, the touchstone is the Situation in Hong Kong. Beijing's new "national security law" threatening the autonomy of the former British crown colony. The EU should not criticize only, but had to leave with practical steps to follow. To Activist counts for Bütikofer, "the threatened democracy in Hong Kong, the European security". Also there should be sanctions against "human rights abuses of the Chinese providers".

of human rights "raised questions"

Such are met with criticism in Beijing, traditionally, not only on deaf ears, but also on sharp reactions. For the preparation of the video summit, it was said in the Commission in relation to this subject only, people would have legal questions raised "with the Chinese side".

More daring, the Commission demonstrated, however, in a communication to the defence of disinformation campaigns in the Wake of the Covid-19-epidemic. Therein were quite uncharacteristic – the horse and the rider named: "Foreign actors and certain third countries, in particular Russia and China, are trying to influence, and lead in connection with Covid-19 in the EU, its neighbouring countries and worldwide disinformation campaigns, the democratic debate, to undermine, to exacerbate social polarization and their own Image in the Covid-19-the context of Polish."

Russia and China back together

at the same time, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that Russia and China were working together more and more. The Chinese are in the process of the global balance of power to move fundamentally. With the second largest defence budget in the world, you invested heavily in modern military equipment. "You back with us in Cyberspace is closer," added the Norwegian. At the same time Beijing's interest in Africa and in the Arctic Region. And invest "in our critical infrastructure" - so in security-related services such as the mobile.

Originally wanted to 1 the Federal Republic of during your at. Beginning in July presidency in the September EU-China summit in Leipzig on hold. This has been postponed. The official justification for the Corona Situation was. Whether it would come to substantial results, however, given the Abundance of conflict areas there.

Under the Brussels Eurocrats has been regarded as a success, that it came to the video conference from Monday. After the virtual summit, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen from a "vital and complex partnership," and lamented that "We continue to have an unbalanced trade and investment relationship."

system in competition with an authoritarian Power

in A joint statement it was after the video conference. That discussion was according to the EU-top "open" indicates that in the diplomatic jargon that the essential points of dispute remained. The CDU-competition politician, Stefan Berger insisted: "China is Europe in debt. Xi Jinping must now prove that the European-Chinese relations are not only shaped by competition, but by a constructive cooperation. A concrete step towards an agreement on investment, the correct Signal would have been in the context of the Dialogue. For more year-long negotiations to cement the current state of distortion of competition.“

such An investment agreement between the two sides is sought, but not yet ready for signature. The EU is faced with the difficult task, in the system competition with the authoritarian people's Republic of China, democratic values to uphold, while you must note the vital economic interests. This is the Dilemma of the Leyen, to the apparently difficult conversations to a sober analysis: China as both a negotiating partner, as well as "economic competitors, and systemic rival was".

The EU is China's largest trading partner, the people's Republic is the second largest of the Europeans. Alone, the daily traffic of goods between the two sides corresponds to a value of more than a billion euros. To find clear words, is sometimes difficult. Especially since it's a powerful interlocutor with specific sensitivities is that you may not be threatened with loss of face. Therefore, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell, China, recently wrote explicitly the Status of a super power.

And made it clear: "China is one of the most important global actors. This is a fact. We need to work together with China on the basis of our interests and values.“ Has it lied? Shock Video out of the canteen proves that the rules FOCUS Online/Wochit has failed to Tönnies Has lied? Shock Video out of the canteen proves that against the rules

have been violated

Date Of Update: 23 June 2020, 04:26