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The European Union (EU) is under increasing pressure to slow down the promotion of investment deals with China. This is due to the growing resistance of the United States to any agreement with Beijing that does not meet the labor criteria.
On December 20, referring to the EU-China trade and investment agreement that the parties are negotiating, Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to US President Joe Biden, announced that the US administration “Early consultation with European partners on our common concerns about China’s economic activities. “
The EU said a comprehensive investment agreement with China would require market opening, eliminating discrimination. However, critics say reaching a global investment deal with the EU will provide Beijing with preferential access to European markets despite condemnation of how to behave. of this country in Hong Kong, Xinjiang.
Biden’s campaign team increased the pressure, preventing the EU-China investment deal. (Image: Bloomberg)
According to Mikko Huotari, director of the Mercator Institute for China in Berlin, the EU and China are seen as reaching a global agreement on investment “Iconic victory“For Brussels, but it will make transatlantic relations between the United States and the EU questionable, especially in the policy towards China.
Both the EU and China have set a year-end deadline for signing the deal, but negotiations could still “stumble” if Beijing does not react to key demands on discrimination issues. with employees.
On December 17, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning China’s use of forced labor in Xinjiang, calling for an investment agreement between the two sides to include commitments to abide by national conventions. Practice prohibits such activities.
“There is no forced labor in Xinjiang. This accusation is completely unfounded, defames and falsely accuses the Xinjiang region and the Chinese side. “ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Uong Van Ban said at a regular press conference in Beijing on December 22 that he did not say what commitments China will make on labor.
Several European lawmakers and Chinese analysts have expressed concern that the EU and especially Germany, as the bloc’s rotating presidency and as an EU country with deep trade ties with China, may be willing to put labor issues aside as it rushes to arrive. to a year-end deal.
These European lawmakers urged the EU to suspend negotiations with China until the EU and the Biden administration take a joint approach on the China issue. The European Parliament will have a say in the ratification of the agreements between the EU and China.
Bernd Lange, a member of the German Social Democratic Party, chairman of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, said a deal is on the horizon even though such concerns are “justified”.
Meanwhile, on December 20, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the negotiations to reach an agreement during a meeting with the ambassadors of the EU countries, as well as Nicolas Chapuis, head of the delegation. of the EU in Beijing. . In an EU statement, the alliance noted progress in the ongoing negotiations and said both sides were “lstay in touch to resolve pending issues. “
“We believe that as long as both parties are able to satisfy common interests, we can achieve the objectives set by the leaders.”Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Uong Van Ban said the talks were in “final phase “.
