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@i_montaigneEN just published at https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/publications/europes-pushback-china my policy paper "Europe's Pushback on China". It explains how the EU has just added to a strategy of defensive measures a direct challenge to China on their many unresolved issues. Thread follows:
1 At the June 22 virtual #EUChina summit, the EU leaders pointed out publicly their disagreements with China on a very broad range of issues. List follows!
2 The list of divergences went on and on: promises unkept, words instead of deeds, state subsidies, market access, violation of an international agreement over Hong Kong, human rights, detention of Gui Minhai, Kovrig & Spavor
3 carbon-based energy policy and no new climate commitment, issues of maritime security in the South China Sea, cybersecurity: the EU "knows the origin" of cyber attacks including on European hospital. It presented Xi & Li with "facts and figures" on disinformation
4 The paper explains that China’s first stop in any important negotiation remains Washington, due to its actual dependencies vis-à-vis the United States.
5/ China’s foreign policy is conducted on the calculation of relative strength. In the eye of Chinese leaders, Europe is weak and does not have the leverage or nuisance value that Washington possesses.
6 By postponing without a new date the Leipzig summit, China has made it clear it would not turn its attention to Europe before the November elections in the US. European leaders should work on developing their own strength regardless of China’s moves.
7 If there is one headline recommendation for European policy-makers, it is to abandon illusions. China feels strong today and is no longer in conflict avoidance mode.
8 Europe gains no traction with #China if it speaks with a weak voice. Its mixed language and balanced statements simply fail to make the grade, and are very often misread, voluntarily or involuntarily, by China’s leaders.
9 Europe needs to sanction non-cooperative behavior from China. It should no longer focus on purely verbal agreements. Interestingly, the EU has signaled that without an investment agreement by the end of 2020, an agenda of cooperation with China would become "difficult".
10 In addition, Europe needs to turn even more to democracies without aiming for identical views. In the end, rising above those differences makes more sense than trying to cooperate with an authoritarian giant. And we are far from being the only ones with a China problem. END
