De Wever urges Europe to adopt strategy against Chinese economic dominance
Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever has called on European leaders to develop a coherent strategy to counter what he described as China's drive for economic domination. He made the remarks on Tuesday at an event in Brussels, Euractiv reports.
De Wever said he was disappointed to hear that French president Emmanuel Macron is reportedly seeking to include China in coordination efforts ahead of next week's G7 summit, Euractiv writes. At the summit, leaders are expected to discuss Beijing's trading practices.
"That's all very well, but we do take a lot of initiatives. It is time to adopt a strategy," De Wever said at the event, hosted by the European think tanks Friends of Europe and the Jacques Delors Institute. "China does not take a lot of initiatives. These people have a strategy. And a strategy is going to eat our initiatives for breakfast."
EU leaders will meet in Brussels on 18 and 19 June, the day after the G7 summit, for a summit at which China is expected to feature prominently on the agenda, though not officially. De Wever noted that the topic had been labelled "geo-economic imbalances," as Europe is too "afraid" to name China directly.
Vocal China critic
De Wever has been one of the more vocal European leaders on the issue. In March, he wrote to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen calling for the matter to be addressed at the level of the European Council. In the letter, the prime minister warned that Beijing’s economic policies are eroding Europe’s industrial base.
Despite the threat to Europe's industry, the prime minister warned against responding with a subsidy race or trade barriers. Europe would lose on the former, he argued, while the latter would drive up costs for both businesses and consumers.
Instead, he advocates for a more assertive use of the EU's existing trade defence instruments, reciprocal market access conditions for Chinese companies operating in Europe, and a reduction of European dependencies in strategic sectors.
Europe should act as a "pole star" for countries seeking an alternative to the power politics of Washington or Beijing, De Wever says, upholding the rule of law and open trading rules.
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
Related news
