Borrell calls on EU to diversify imports as China disobeys EU morality
The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell attends a news conference after the Russian special military operation was launched in Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, 27 February 2022. (Reuters)
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell announced that the EU does not fear China’s rise and urged Beijing to practice "responsibility" to achieve peace and security.
The diplomat was scheduled to visit China from April 13 to April 15 but a positive covid test forced him to reschedule.
He released the statement that he was supposed to deliver at the Center for China and Globalization on Friday through a blog post on the website of the Diplomatic Service of the EU.
Borrell said in the post, "We do not fear China's rise. However, we know that the history of tomorrow's world will also depend on how China uses its power."
He further stressed European morality as a key factor in achieving cooperation between China and the EU.
"We want to reverse the negative trend in EU-China relations in recent years. But to be able to do so, China must also be able to exercise more responsibility."
China was the EU's largest trading partner in 2021. The economic relations between the two led to a $248.3 billion deficit on Europe’s part.
Borrell pointed to that in his statement and described it as "strong economic relations."
The official also threatened to take measures to cut the imbalances in trade saying, "We all have an interest in maintaining an open system. If imbalances are not corrected, we have to react. Europe will remain the most open major market in the world, but we will not hesitate to take measures to protect ourselves against practices that we consider unfair."
EU's position on Taiwan
However, Borrell reiterated Europe's commitment to the One China policy after conflict arose in Asia following frequent official US-Taiwan meetings.
"We remain fundamentally committed to the EU's One China Policy. We see no reason to question it. We must lower the tension; avoid verbal outbursts or provocations that can only fuel mistrust," the statement read.
Nonetheless, Borrell took a dig at the Chinese authorities, hinting that they could attempt to "change the status quo by force."
Diversifying REE imports
He also pointed to Europe’s dependency on Chinese-sourced rare earth minerals and called on the EU to diversify its supply chain due to the strategic importance of REEs in high-tech products and military equipment.
The statements made by the diplomat are significant, considering they were meant to be read out during his visit to China.
Read more: EU China ties depend on Beijing's approach to Ukraine war: Borrell