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There is great outrage among European diplomats at the pressure from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to sign a European-Chinese investment agreement and ignore the harsh criticism that Beijing faces around the world for human rights violations.
A report in the magazine “Poltico” reported that officials from Italy, Poland, Belgium and Spain criticized the way in which Germany, during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, pressured the rest of European countries to sign the agreement.
The signing came despite warnings from diplomats about human rights violations in which China is implicated, such as forced labor imposed on the Uighur Muslim minority.
On Wednesday, the European Union concluded an investment agreement with China, which allows investors to acquire companies in various sectors.
Brussels claims that the “Comprehensive Investment Agreement” is the most open in China, which has lowered barriers to European businesses, improved competitive opportunities and tightened environmental protection rules.
Critics saw the deal as a political gain for Chinese President Xi Jinping, as it came at a time when Chinese authorities launched an offensive against democracy in Hong Kong, ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, and journalists who wrote reports about the Corona virus in the first days of its appearance.
Some also warned that the deal could further distance the European Union from the next president of the United States, Joe Biden.
Notably, the European-Chinese deal comes three weeks before Biden’s inauguration as president of the United States, and his team has raised concerns about the European Union’s proximity to Beijing and urged Brussels to consult with Washington.
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