NEW YORK: Some members of the European Parliament are continuously using the Taiwan question to provoke China’s sovereignty and are urging the EU to reduce its reliance on China and to display a tougher and more united stance toward Beijing, but these activities are harming the mutually beneficial China-EU ties and adding uncertainties to the EU’s future, Chinese experts said.
Some Chinese experts warned that to deal with these irresponsible acts, China should make efforts to let the EU know that the one who gets more benefits from the bilateral ties should be more decent rather than provocative.
After the frictions over China’s Xinjiang-related affairs in March, caused by the EU’s groundless accusations on the Xinjiang-related affairs and sanctions against Chinese officials and entities, Europe’s anti-China forces, pro-US politicians and opportunists have recently found a new target – the Taiwan question – to further provoke China and damage the China-EU ties.
Lithuania is a typical example among EU members which is now suffering from such troublemaking decision made by its opportunist politicians.
Reinhard Butikofer, a German member of the European Parliament who has been sanctioned by China due to previous China-EU frictions on Xinjiang, has warned European leaders of the risk of China’s “divide and conquer” strategy, according to the Daily Express on Saturday.
Butikofer has argued that “Germany and France should restrain from ‘selfishly’ looking to guide EU-China relations.”
He warned that EU member states should agree to a united position on the issue of China and said that the EU in recent times has moved forward collectively on a number of fronts to face down Beijing, the Daily Express reported.
“Bütikofer’s remarks reflect some voices in the EU that there should be a united front against China’s influence, but the EU should understand that a united front does not necessarily mean confrontation,” Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.
– The Daily Mail-Global Times News exchange item
