Paris and Berlin step up to the plate in promoting strategic autonomy of EU
Visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who wrapped up back-to-back visits to Germany and France on Friday, was reassured by his hosts that the two major powers of the European Union both oppose "decoupling" with China. The reaffirming by Paris and Berlin that they do not seek to sever the global industry and supply chains to meet the narrow ends of some China-bashing politicians in Washington, and their recognition of the importance of China as a reliable partner in trade, technology and green development is a confidence boost for world. Their endorsement of common development and multilateralism is especially important at a time when the United States is putting its own short-term interests first, to the exclusion of the widespread long-term benefits that would result from a healthy post-pandemic global recovery. And that positive message also comes at a time when China is hungry for more foreign investment, technology and cooperation with developed economies to help spur the next stage of its high-quality development and its modernization, which will ensure it remains a key driver of the global economy. Li's meeting with European Council President Charles Michel in Paris on Thursday, and his meetings with business leaders from the two countries during his trip, have bolstered the state-level consensus reached with Berlin and Paris, and show that despite the great lengths Washington has gone to in a bid to drive a wedge between the EU and China, almost all stakeholders in the bloc are well aware that the cooperative nature of the ties remains unchanged. China and the EU have not only benefited tremendously from each other's development, they also have forged a broad consensus on working together to address climate change and other global issues. As such, there is no reason why the European Union should not adhere to strategic independence and uphold multilateralism to prevent Sino-EU relations from being hijacked by those who are blinkered by ideological biases stemming from the Cold War. That is why Li urged his hosts in Berlin and Paris to uphold strategic autonomy and assume a leadership role in the EU so as to keep Sino-EU relations on the right track of healthy development. No matter to what extent Washington tries to portray relations between the West and China as being adversarial, it should be clear to most that there is no fundamental conflict of interests between the two sides, and that rather than their differences being obstacles to cooperation, they should constitute the basis on which to hold dialogue to promote mutual learning and respect. The divergences that have come to the fore between China and the EU, as a result of some in the bloc buying Washington's rehashed Cold War narrative targeting Beijing, can be managed if they are put in the proper perspective. Li's French and German hosts both stressed the importance of communication and coordination with Beijing, not just to promote trade and investment cooperation, but also to address global challenges and hotspot issues and the development of technology. By expanding their common interests in this way, China and the EU can keep their ties grounded. This will prevent Washington from taking the EU for a ride, and ensure Sino-EU ties can act as an anchor for stability amid the volatile seas of uncertainty and change now roiling the world.