Relations between Europe and China are “bumpy” due to Covid-19

According to SCMPGermany’s plan to bring the EU to the Chinese market is said to risk being delayed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is “reviving” the economies of the countries. .

Previously, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had planned to host Chinese President Xi Jinping in September in Leipzig to hold a summit with 27 government leaders, committee leaders and the EU council.

However, the meeting was not included in the official German scheme of priorities for the presidency of the Council of the EU.

Over the weekend, German Chancellor Heiko Maas said it was too early to confirm whether the summit plan would go through. An EU diplomatic source had a similar opinion, saying that a decision on this issue would be made after June.

Currently, Germany is focusing all its efforts on the battle against Covid-19, stopping the second wave of infection, reopening the economy, and planning to face predictions that Europe could face the situation. The economy is not very positive.

Overall, eurozone economies are expected to drop around 7.75% this year, much worse than the 4.5% drop in the worst of the financial crisis. 2007-2008.

“Europe is experiencing an unprecedented economic shock since the Great Depression,” EU economic commissioner Cameron Gentiloni said last week.

Observers fear that the economic slowdown could put the EU at a disadvantage by negotiating with China over investment protection agreements. According to SCMP, China’s economy is expected to recover faster than Europe after the pandemic.

Currently, both the EU and China are in contact and negotiating. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He spoke last month with European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.

“The exchange with China is still going on, but Beijing is always very tough on issues related to market penetration,” said a source familiar with the matter.

According to the EU Trade Commission in China, the biggest challenge facing European companies is the legal provisions that prioritize Chinese state-owned companies over private companies, as well as priority. More for national companies than foreign companies.

If the Leipzig summit is canceled, an agreement expected to be signed later this year could be affected. Previously, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, canceled their visit to China in March due to Covid-19.

Tensions between the EU and China rise

Another barrier to the prospect of European companies entering China is seen as a reaction to mounting criticism of how Beijing handles Covid-19.

France’s foreign ministry has summoned a Chinese diplomat for accusing Beijing of giving inaccurate information about the Paris government’s anti-epidemic effort. The Swedish government called for an investigation into how China handled the medical crisis. Meanwhile, the Italian region of Lombardy warned that it would sue China.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for an investigation into the origin of Covid-19. The EU also pushed for a draft resolution at the World Health Organization requesting an investigation.

Furthermore, Ms Von der Leyen also pledged to “redefine the relationship between the EU and the second largest economy in the world”, which the bloc considers “a systemic competitor” and “a competitor”. strategy”.

Josep Borrell, the EU’s head of foreign affairs, said the bloc was “a bit naive” about China. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Maas said Covid-19 showed that the EU needs to speak in tense relations with China.

Last week, the EU Ambassador to China Nicolas Chapuis was criticized for agreeing to allow a Beijing newspaper to correct an article by EU diplomats before publishing it. The article has a paragraph that says that Covid-19 originated in China and this paragraph has been removed. This move is believed to have led to increased tensions between China and the EU.

Your Majesty

According to SCMP