EU-China
Xi urges Europe to ‘make positive efforts with China’ in Merkel call
President Xi Jinping told German leader Angela Merkel during a phone call that he hoped Europe would "make positive efforts with China", Chinese state media reported, following an international row over the treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.
Despite China threats, Lithuania moves to recognise Uighur genocide
After Brussels moved to impose sanctions on China in March, Beijing retaliated by targeting four Lithuanian politicians among more than a dozen European diplomats and officials. Now, despite direct pressure on Lithuanian MPs, Vilnius is planning to recognise as genocide China's repression against Uighurs. EURACTIV's media partner LRT.lt reports.
US, EU to cooperate on China dialogue, Russia challenge
The US and Europe have agreed to relaunch a bilateral dialogue on China and work together to address Russia's "challenging behavior," according to a statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell.
Looking at China: Dazed and confused
China is using its economic and technological force to attack the vital interests of the United States and its main strategic partner, the European Union, writes Vladimir Krulj.
EU nations rebuke China envoys over retaliatory sanctions
France, Germany and other EU nations called in Chinese ambassadors on Tuesday (23 March) to protest at sanctions imposed by Beijing targeting their citizens, as China and Europe faced off over claims of rights abuses against China's Muslim Uyghur minority.
West hits China with coordinated sanction over Xinjiang abuses
The United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials on Monday (22 March) for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the first such coordinated Western action against Beijing under new US President Joe Biden.
China sanctions 10 Europeans including parliamentarians
China on Monday (22 March) announced sanctions on 10 Europeans including politicians and scholars, as well as four entities, in retaliation against the EU's approval of measures over Beijing's crackdown on the Uighur minority.
China warns EU against ‘confrontation’ over human rights sanctions
China is deeply concerned over the EU's likely imposition of human rights sanctions on Chinese officials and its ambassador in Brussels warned the bloc on Tuesday (16 March) to "think twice" before engaging in confrontation, because China "will not back down".
China approves five-year plan, underpinned by fossil fuels
China approved its five-year goals on Thursday (11 March), but the world’s biggest polluter shows little ambition of moving away from fossil fuels, leaving much to be decided.
China moves to overhaul Hong Kong politics, squeezing democratic opposition
China’s parliament approved on Thursday (11 March) a draft decision to change Hong Kong’s electoral system, further reducing democratic representation in the city’s institutions and introducing a mechanism to vet politicians’ loyalty to Beijing. The measures are part of Beijing’s...
China says ‘more consultation’ needed on EU carbon border levy
The European Commission needs to have further discussions with Beijing and other trading partners about its upcoming carbon border levy, a senior Chinese diplomat said at a EURACTIV event on Thursday (28 January).
‘Still much work to do’ with China after investment deal, says Commission
Despite a recent investment agreement reached with Beijing, there is still “much work to do” to rebalance the EU-China trade and overall economic relations, the European Commission said on Friday (29 January).
Carbon-neutrality: How can the EU and China co-operate to lead global climate change efforts?
Climate change can only be tackled effectively with a global approach in a multilateral framework.The EU wants to work closely with China to deploy a 'climate diplomacy' to share efforts with the rest of the world, especially with the biggest emitters.
Revamped EU-India link could re-balance China ties, Portuguese FM says
Relations between the EU and India, especially in the context of an increasingly influential China, will be the central point of the Portuguese EU presidency, Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
European Commission defends China trade deal after MEP warning
The European Commission said Wednesday (27 January) that Beijing knows it must deliver on labour commitments in an EU-China investment deal, rebuffing criticism that Brussels had given too much ground on rights.
China’s Xi warns against ‘new Cold War’ in Davos speech
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday (25 January) in Davos called for a return to multilateralism, warning against a "new Cold War", and urged global unity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU should assert ‘own interests and principles’ to Beijing, says MEP
In an interview with EURACTIV France, MEP Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D) speaks about the EU and China agreeing on 30 December in principle on a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CIA) after the French presidency assured on Monday that China's human rights "commitments" would be "very scrupulously checked".
Multilateralism is a principle, not an option
China and the EU need to join forces to provide more global public goods and set a good example of global cooperation, writes Zhang Ming.
China investment agreement and the golden calf of EU unity
Despite the narrative about Central and Eastern European countries endangering EU unity on China, the hasty conclusion of an investment agreement with Beijing shows that the Franco-German alliance is a bigger obstacle to a united response to challenges posed by China, writes Matej Šimalčík.
Ericsson worried about Chinese retaliation after Huawei ban
The head of Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson, Bjorn Ekholm, is worried about Chinese reprisals after Sweden banned Huawei from taking part in the rollout of 5G networks, he said Monday (4 January).
PM Costa: Blocking EU-China deal because of the US would be a ‘terrible sign’
Europe must be an autonomous global actor and it would be “a terrible sign” if the EU blocked a recently concluded investment agreement with China in order to coordinate with Washington, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa told EURACTIV’s partner Lusa in an exclusive interview.
EU seeks to rebalance China ties with controversial investment agreement
The EU and China agreed ‘in principle’ on Wednesday (30 December) to an investment deal that will give European companies greater access to Chinese markets and help redress what Europe sees as unbalanced economic ties. EU leaders and China’s President...
Central Asia is an obvious winner of better EU-China ties
Investment and better regional connectivity as well as an improved links with Europe may be a lifeline for the struggling Central Asian economies, writes Joel Ruet.
