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The European Parliament has announced that it will be “frozen”, expressing its strong opposition to the promotion of a market access treaty with China, which shows that the tension between the European Union and Beijing is increasing.
As Beijing imposed retaliatory sanctions on European parliamentarians, diplomats, academics and think tanks, members of the European Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to stop ratifying the disputed treaty on Thursday. Thursday’s resolution was passed with 599 votes in favour, 30 votes against and 58 abstentions.
Although it has no legal effect, the vote showed obstacles to the implementation of the agreement, which requires the approval of the European Parliament. This also reflects the shift in EU capital relative to the agreement, which only reached agreement at the political level in December.
In response to the European Union’s travel ban and the freezing of four Chinese officials and a security organization’s persecution and mass detention of Uyghur Muslims, Beijing has imposed sanctions. China’s measures are mainly aimed at criticism of its policies, but also include EU institutions, such as the EU Political and Security Committee composed of ambassadors from 27 member states.
Reinhard Bütikofer, a German green environmentalist who heads the Chinese delegation to the European Parliament, is one of those sanctioned. He said the legislature “will not succumb.” He said that Beijing’s efforts to monitor China’s dialogue on a global scale are “ridiculous and conceited, and will fail.”
He said: “Due to sanctions, China miscalculated.” “They should learn from their mistakes and rethink.”
Pedro Marques, a member of the Socialist European Parliament from Portugal, said that China was guilty of “an attack on European democracy” and declared: “We will not tolerate it.”
As the United States seeks to establish an international alliance to deal with Beijing in areas such as trade and security, the dispute over investment agreements highlights the increasingly fierce debate on EU policy towards China. European groups are expanding their economic arsenal, including proposing to ban foreign companies subsidized by certain countries from entering the EU single market.
Dutch Trade Minister Sigrid Kaag said her country “very” supports the actions taken by the European Parliament on the investment agreement.
She pointed out that “political pressure” from China is increasing, including adding Dutch parliamentarians from her own free D66 party to the sanctions list.
Kag also urged better coordination among EU institutions to formulate a consistent policy towards China.
She said on Thursday: “This is an example of a wider, difficult relationship that we need to find a way forward.” “We can’t just build some good modules for ourselves and check the boxes instead of connecting the dots.”
The EU has been seeking this investment agreement for a long time, which will provide opportunities for EU companies doing business in the Chinese market while trying to resolve long-standing complaints about unfair treatment.
On the surface, industries that enjoy more favorable terms include the automotive industry, private healthcare, cloud computing, and air transportation ancillary services.
With the strong support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Angela Merkel), Germany promoted the political agreement to reach this agreement in the final days of the EU’s rotating presidency in December.
Armin Laschet, whose center-right party was nominated as chancellor of Germany in the September election, hinted on Wednesday that the deal would not be approved unless the sanctions were lifted. “If you want to be [our] Partner, you must show mutual respect,” he said. “So on this issue, I hope to see the Chinese side move. “
Beijing’s visit to the EU stated: “China’s decision to take countermeasures is a reasonable response to unilateral sanctions and confrontation by the EU. China has always been sincere in promoting cooperation with the EU. We hope the EU will cooperate with us in the same direction. “
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