Malta MEPs back China de-risking recommendations, Sant abstains

MEPs have backed a report by the Belgian MEP Hilde Vautmans (Renew) that calls on the EU to engage pragmatically with China on global challenges but confront confront Beijing over its severe human rights abuses.

All Maltese MEPs backed the report, except for Labour MEP Alfred Sant, who has long pursued a policy of non-intereference on foreign nations’ internal affairs.

The report, approved by 529 MEPs from all major blocs, recognises China’s simultaneous role as a partner but also increasingly a competitor and systemic rival to the EU.

“The Beijing government is strengthening its role and influence over international institutions,” MEPs said, “with both the intention and economic, technological and military means to reshape the international rules-based order.”

EU lawmakers said they see China moving into a new era of security and control characterised by increasing internal repression and an increasingly assertive economic and foreign policy.

“We can no longer be naive when dealing with China – it is an important trading partner, but increasingly a systemic rival and competitor,” rapporteur Vautmans said.

“Today we make clear that the EU must react to an assertive China by implementing a bold new strategy. We must continue to cooperate with China where possible, based on reciprocal rules. But Europe must never turn a blind eye to China's human rights violations. To uphold our values and interests, we urgently need to strengthen our strategic autonomy and de-risk our relations and we must speak with one European voice to when we do.”

Stressing the need for the EU to continue to engage pragmatically with China to tackle global challenges, such as climate change, financial stability risks as well as conflicts and security issues, MEPs want the EU to engage more with China to get Beijing to stop its support for Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and helping Moscow’s circumvention of EU sanctions.

They also want the EU to respond more adequately to the ruling Chinese Communist party’s efforts to change the multilateral rules-based order through tools like the BRICS group and the Belt and Road Initiative.

On economic ties, MEPs stressed the need to advance the stated goal of de-risking trade flows with China to reinforce the EU’s open strategic autonomy, without turning inwards. They highlight the importance of reciprocal and balanced trade relations, to address the structural shortcoming of the Chinese market and improve fair conditions and market access for European companies.

They also deplored China’s deeply worrisome human rights record, called on the EU to tell China to stop their crackdown on dissent and on religious and ethnic minorities, and halt their ongoing grave violations. MEPs referred to the alarming situation in Xinjiang and Tibet, but also recent and more long-term developments in Hong Kong and Macao.