EU leaders’ agenda is China
European Union (EU) leaders devoted a session to relations with China on the second day of the summit meeting held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
Accepting a joint statement at the end of the session, the leaders decided to continue to establish close relations with China to overcome global challenges, and to encourage this country to take more ambitious steps on issues such as climate change, biodiversity, health and epidemic preparedness, food security, humanitarian aid.
Agreeing to work on a level playing field so that trade and economic relations with China are balanced and mutually beneficial, the leaders committed to striving to reduce dependencies and risks, including in their supply chains, by moving away from a “segregation and introversion” approach in bilateral relations.
EU leaders expressed their concern at the escalating tension in the Taiwan Strait and underlined their stance against the “One China” policy and any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion.
In the statement, EU leaders called on China to pressure Russia to stop the war in Ukraine.
EU leaders stressed their concern about the situation in Tibet and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the framework of forced labour, the treatment of human rights defenders and persons belonging to minorities.
