Enhanced cooperation between EU and China
The EU and China are joining forces in the trade dispute with the US. At the EU-China summit they agreed to cooperate more closely in the areas of economic affairs and environmental protection. Commentators welcome this new unity but warn that Europe must not forget the human rights abuses in China.
Naivety is not a good advisor
The EU and China are moving closer together, Handelsblatt observes:
“In the era of Donald Trump, the Europeans and Chinese are discovering that they share more than economic interests. Both want to save the nuclear agreement with Iran and both are adhering to the plan of stopping global warming. And they share common goals in Africa. In the fight against the underlying causes of the refugee crisis, China, which is very active in Africa, can be a valuable partner for the EU. That said, the EU will never be able to have the kind of community of shared values with China that it has with the US. The Europeans must continue to denounce human rights violations in the People's Republic if they want to remain true to their sense of democracy and the rule of law. Naivety is not a good advisor in dealings with Beijing. So far the EU has recognised that and taken it to heart.”
The EU must go its own way
In view of its difficult relations with the US the EU must change its focus in economic and security policy, Kurier writes:
“Yesterday in Beijing the EU Commission President engaged in very objective talks with China about increasing trade volume. President Xi Jinping describes the situation as follows: 'Europe and China are two forces for maintaining stability.' At least here there is a greater sense of rationality and reliability. If the Americans are lucky, after Trump they'll have a reasonable president again. But in any case Europe must now go its own way.”