The EU calls for a unified, strict dealing with China, while the member States compete for economic benefits. To find a common Position, so the egg dance, says Frank Sieren.
Jean-Claude Juncker, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and Angela Merkel in front of the Elysee Palace in Paris
Xi Jinping has succeeded in his recent trip to Europe, to make two things clear: China’s voice in the world becoming more and more important. And, because of Beijing, tactics wise, is the ratio of EU to be its second largest trading partner, as contradictory as never before. XI’s calculus is simple: He signed bilateral agreements with EU member States, Brussels, dissatisfied, and prevents that Brussels may impose its claims against China.
Italy is a new highlight: It is the first major industrial nation in Europe, who steps out of line. Head of the government, Giuseppe Conte, signed in presence of Xi, an agreement on the participation of his country in China’s “New silk road”. Total potential over 20 billion Euro, as Luigi Di Maio, Deputy Premier and Minister for economic development, pleased, said. In Berlin, Italy’s own powerful thrust caused for suspicion: “you Should believe in some countries you can make with the Chinese, clever shops, you will be amazed, and sometime in dependencies Wake up,” said he, German foreign Minister Heiko Maas. However, Rome’s dependence on far-away Beijing is, obviously, rather than that of Brussels.
Signing the contract in Rome: (v. li.) Xi Jinping, Hu Lifeng, Luigi Di Maio and Giuseppe Conte
France and Germany are looking for their own advantage
That President Emmanuel Macron to XI’s visit in France, Angela Merkel and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker invited Europe has a little brought, except that it was a sign of good will. “We expect our partners to respect the unity of the EU as well as the values they carry,” said Macron. At the same time he won for his country’s good: 14 cooperation agreements with China in a total volume of 40 billion Euro came about. 30 billion for Airbus, a European company. The other, however, for France, and in quite strategic areas such as air-and space technology or nuclear energy. The French government has also wiped away at the end of the concern is that China could hike the EU technologically.
Berlin also has its own Agenda. Because German companies exported last year Goods to the value of 93 billion Euro in the people’s Republic. France brought at least 21 billion. And Rome, which brought it to 19 billion, and now wants to catch up properly. Merkel says they think it would be better if you act within the EU “uniform”. But, you know, of course, that the countries, which were forced during the Euro crisis, austerity measures and privatisations, see in China today is more an opportunity than a threat. And you know that the omissions in the Expansion of ports, Railways or roads the gap in the market for China only. Beijing has knitted it even has a political Format, the “16 plus 1″summit, which is expanding with large-scale investments in the sphere of influence of China in Eastern Europe, steadily. “Maybe we have overestimated in the Balkans, Russia’s role, and China’s influence is underestimated”, said the EU Commissioner for enlargement, Johannes Hahn.
The own disaffected members forget
Distracted by the financial crisis, the Brexit and the crumbling TRANS-Atlantic Alliance under the US President, Trump has failed in Brussels to take care of its disaffected members. Now a common strategy in China is difficult. And it makes the situation not better, that the EU commissioners, the competition in Europe is more important than the Position of Europe as against powerful competitors such as China. Otherwise, it would never happen, that it is Brussels that, in all Seriousness, the merger of railway engineering divisions of Siemens and Alstom, said that the can form a counter-weight to China’s state-owned railway giants CRRC.
DW-columnist Frank Sieren
In China, government and business work Hand-in-Hand – whatever you want to call it, this model is well -understood in Brussels. At best, selectively, Brussels can prevail against Beijing. At the beginning of last week, the EU Commission submitted a “joint statement”, which is the basis for the upcoming EU-China summit on 9. April. It means that Europe’s policy should be towards China “more realistic, more assertive and more diverse”. China is exploiting is not a “developing country”, but a “strategic competitor” and “rival”, the international trade laws unilaterally. Brussels wants to take Chinese investment in the future under the magnifying glass, for example, with regard to the respect of environmental and labour standards. The self is formulated aware. But it is in the paper so far only a “basis for discussion” without any legal binding.
Europe needs to be faster
With a raised finger and a crippling bureaucracy show Brussels is dissatisfied countries such as Hungary, Greece and now even Italy, but hardly of its “common” line to convince. If Brussels wants to survive against China, it needs to respond quicker to challenges than before and also more money in the Hand. And it needs to make Beijing clearly, that a United Europe can be an important Partner to have common interests against the United States to enforce – for example, in free trade or in dealing with Iran, or Huawei, the world’s largest Telecom network specialists from China. The silk road is in need of a strong end point, if you want to work. In these areas, the Sunday talk is not enough, however. Negotiations and a clear, common Agenda might persuade Beijing that it drives a strong Europe is better than with weakened.
In Paris, about all the sides committed themselves to a Reform of the world trade organization and the Paris climate agreement. Here, Brussels and Beijing are now closer than Brussels and Washington. But those in charge do something about this? Not really. Cooperation does not mean Yes, from Washington to avert. It just means that you are working with the partners to enforce their own interests best. This should be obvious, it falls to the Europeans-but still very difficult.
Our columnist Frank Sieren has lived for over twenty years in Beijing.