How to close divergences between EU and China

World
Europe

Editor's Note: Liu Mingli is the deputy director of the Institute of European Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The article reflects the author's opinion and not necessarily views of CGTN.

As Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is embarking on his Brussels tour for the 21st EU-China summit, the EU's perception of China has shown some changes recently. Earlier in March, the European Commission labeled China as an "economic competitor" in the pursuit of technological leadership and a "systemic rival" promoting alternative models of governance.

In addition, a Europe-wide framework for screening foreign direct investment was approved by the European Parliament, which is widely believed to target Chinese investment. Judging from the above, Europe is seeing growing suspicions against Beijing. How to deal with disagreements between China and the EU is critical for their future bilateral relations.

For starters, divergences should be treated rationally. China and Europe are different in geography, national conditions and stages of development. It is impossible for them to agree on all issues. Communication is the key to the two sides.

As two of the largest three economies, China's and the EU's common interests far outweigh their differences. China and the EU are far apart and thus have no geopolitical conflicts. Their differences are mainly caused by misunderstandings.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st L) pose for a group photo with French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R) and his wife Brigitte Macron in the southern French city of Nice, March 24, 2019. /Xinhua photo

For example, many Europeans may no longer see China as a developing country. But still, China's per capita income is much lower than that of Europe. Some regions are slow in development, and the task of poverty reduction is still tight.

The elimination of misunderstandings between China and Europe requires continuous communication at both the governmental and people-to-people level.

Secondly, China-EU divisions may be partly attributed to the changing political climate in Europe this year. Elections of the European Parliament and a new term of the European Commission are likely to be among the most important political events of 2019. Some politicians may consider using China as a tool to win more votes.

As a supranational institution, the European Commission has been criticized for its alleged bureaucracy and inefficiency. Calling for greater unity in EU policy toward China, the commission is striving for more power.

China needs to be aware of the complexity of the EU's decision-making mechanism. The documents of the EU institutions do not necessarily represent the views of the whole EU. Chinese President Xi Jinping's European visit last month demonstrated the sound China-EU cooperation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) receives the original French version of "An Introduction to The Analects of Confucius," published in 1688, from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron (1st R), as a national gift before their meeting in Nice, France, March 24, 2019. /Xinhua photo

Thirdly, both China and Europe, to better solve their divergences, need to adjust some of their internal policies. For example, China is carrying out further reform and opening-up.

A more dynamic and confident Europe will find it easier to manage relations with China. The commission's document also acknowledges that the EU itself needs to adapt to changing economic realities and strengthen its own domestic policies and industrial base.

Fourthly, both sides should focus more on consensus and cooperation. Resisting protectionism, mitigating climate change, maintaining the WTO and other multilateral mechanisms are common challenges facing China and Europe.

The success of pragmatic cooperation will help eliminate misunderstandings. The Greek port of Piraeus is a typical model of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, attracting the attention from other European countries including Italy.

Future China-Italy cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework will also help eliminate the EU's unnecessary concerns about China. Beijing-Rome cooperation will provide references for other European countries.

China and Europe are seeing more intertwined interests. This will bring more opportunities for cooperation between the two sides.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)