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South China morning post
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang rushes to bolster support for investment deal with the EU
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on the leaders of Spain and the Netherlands to back Beijing’s proposed investment deal with the European Union, after a high-level French official threatened to block it over concerns about forced labor. . secure the deal before Joe Biden takes over as US president in four weeks and seeks to coordinate China’s policy with Europe. Concern over forced labor remains an obstacle to the EU-China deal “China is willing to work together with the EU to push for an early conclusion of the investment deal,” Li told Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, according to the state media. Chinese Xinhua. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating from China.In another call to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Xinhua said, Li promised to cooperate with the EU on the deal, climate change and the green development, adding: “China hopes the EU will continue to provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.” Li made the calls hours after key French and Polish officials opposed the EU investment deal, respectively, over China’s responsibilities towards work. rights, as well as the need for the EU to coordinate with the US on China. “We cannot facilitate investment in China if we do not commit to abolishing forced labor,” Franck Riester, the deputy minister in charge of trade at the French Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with Le Monde. Riester suggested that the deal could be blocked if Beijing does not accept international conventions prohibiting forced labor. “With regard to the investment agreement that is being negotiated, we have a red line: the ratification of the fundamental ILO conventions.” Many countries share our positions, such as Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. I also know that Germany is very attached to these issues. ” Riester said it would be unacceptable to boost investment in China without sufficient human rights safeguards. While praising the agreement as “a significant step towards rebalancing our investment relations with China,” he argued that the trade agreements should serve as a “lever to promote social problems, to fight against forced labor, particularly of Uighurs. “. The China-EU investment deal will not be a panacea for troubled relations, observers say. “We must advance on all fronts simultaneously: investment, trade, openness to public procurement, sustainable development and, of course, human rights,” said the French minister. “We are very concerned about the situation in Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia or that of the Uygurs in Xinjiang.” Most of the EU decisions require the support of both Germany and France, the two main members of the bloc. Riester’s comments indicated the French government’s reservations, despite the fact that according to diplomatic sources Berlin is pushing for the deal to be closed. Riester also confirmed that under the terms of the agreement, which diplomats say has reached the final stages , the EU would have Riester also said that Brussels and Beijing have not been able to agree on how to resolve disputes arising from the agreement. On the need for Beijing to commit to investor protection, Riester said there were concerns about whether European companies entering the Chinese market through the new deal could be subject to “sudden nationalization” by the Chinese government. “This is one of our trade policy priorities: we need a strong dispute settlement framework and strong guarantees to ensure that China’s commitments in the agreement are honored,” he said. Noah Barkin, an EU-China expert at the Rhodium Group consultancy, said that “the issue of forced labor is a red line for several countries, but France is the first to say it publicly.” It is clear that China will have to advance this or the deal will not materialize, “Barkin added. The Chinese embassy in France did not respond to requests for comment. Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau also weighed in on the deal, saying:” Europe should seek a comprehensive, fair and mutually beneficial on investments with China. We need more consultation and transparency that brings in our transatlantic allies. ”> The Biden-Harris administration would welcome early consultations with our European partners on our common concerns about China’s economic practices. https://t.co / J4LVEZhEld >> – Jake Sullivan (@jakejsullivan) December 22, 2020 Rau’s comments came after Jake Sullivan, elected by the president I elect Joe Biden from the United States as national security adviser, will point to the agreement between the EU and China. ” The Biden-Harris administration would welcome early consultations with our European partners on our common concerns about China’s economic practices, ”Sullivan wrote on Twitter. More from South China Morning Post: * On the brink of China-EU investment deal, last-minute pressure comes from US and within Europe * China-EU investment deal expected, says minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi This article, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang is quick to shore up support for the investment deal with the EU first appeared in South China Morning Post our mobile application. Copyright 2020.
