The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, has called on EU leaders to avoid a schism with China after meeting with them in Brussels this week. Guterres, who has been accused of relative silence on Chinese human rights abuses, warned that Europe risked sending China on a dangerous geopolitical path regarding the war in Ukraine and trade disputes.
He made his comments as EU-Chinese relations come under strain, following the EU’s determination to implement protectionist plans to lessen its economic dependence on Chinese clean technology, and amid fears that Chinese armaments are assisting the Russian war effort. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Putin this week to discuss better bilateral ties, which has led to some EU leaders rushing to repair damaged relations with Beijing.
In response to the Ukrainian conflict, China presented its own peace plans at the recent Munich Security Conference to avoid the return of “Cold War mindsets.” Western analysts have accused China of attempting to divide Europe from America while masquerading as a neutral observer in the conflict.
Guterres asserted that China had a positive outlook on Europe and referenced the need for the EU to collaborate with the Chinese on combating climate change. Earlier this week, co-chair of the European Green Party, Reinhard Bütikofer, aired rumours that China was attempting to negotiate a conciliatory deal on reduced sanctions with the EU in exchange for a new investment agreement.
EU nations are split over future relations with China, with the United States exerting pressure on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take a hawkish stance on Beijing in exchange for favourable trade and subsidy agreements. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President of the European Council Charles Michel are reported to want enhanced relations with China as a rift within EU leadership emerges.
There are clear signals, however, that tensions between Europe and China are growing. European institutions have recently instructed their staff to delete the wildly popular Chinese social media app, TikTock, for fear that the personal data of users will be exploited by the Chinese government for espionage purposes. Another sign of mounting mistrust is a potential export ban to China by the EU on advanced microchip technology.
