SCMP: EU criticises China’s position on Ukraine to justify trade pressure
EU countries are criticising Beijing’s position on the Ukrainian crisis in order to justify imposing trade restrictions on China, a senior EU diplomat told the South China Morning Post.
The diplomat said EU countries are concerned about the upcoming confrontation with China, but they know it is inevitable in the next political cycle because lawmakers will insist on protecting European jobs and industry and there is no way to avoid it.
“They will be “happy” to use (Vladimir) Zelensky’s remarks as “additional justification” (for a tough stance towards Beijing), saying that China is also helping Russia in its fight against Ukraine”, the agency quoted the source as saying.
Earlier, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said that China would take necessary measures to protect its companies if the EU tries to suppress them.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said earlier that the EU is concerned about China’s overproduction of “artificially cheap products” that flood the European market, as well as the problems of EU companies with access to the Chinese market “on fair terms” and forced technology transfer. She emphasised, however, that it was not a question of market closure or protectionism.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said earlier that China’s development brings opportunities, not risks, to Europe, and protectionism will not help the EU solve the existing problems.
