Assita Kanko wants clarity on possible Chinese interference in the EU coronavirus report

Was there Chinese pressure when the European special report on the coronavirus pandemic was drawn up? MEP Assita Kanko is concerned about possible Chinese interference. She will put questions to the European Commission. “I want it to be made clear whether things have actually been changed and if so, why that happened. Moreover, I want to know if representatives of third countries are having any influence on that process.”

Chinese pressure

Last week, press releases circulated about Chinese interference in Europe. The Chinese government tried to put pressure on the content of a report by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on disinformation concerning the coronavirus, according to the reports. The EEAS is said to have made changes to the report under pressure from China. N-VA MEP Assita Kanko wants clarification about this from the European Commission.

Report weakened?

The EEAS prepared a draft report on the coronavirus pandemic. An EU official, whose identity was not disclosed, now claims that the content and wording of this report were watered down and revised under pressure from the Chinese government.

Legitimate concerns

Assita Kanko asked the Commission some pertinent questions about this: “There are legitimate concerns about the great pressure China is exerting on the European institutions and how much influence it is having on the content of publications.” According to Assita Kanko, disinformation has been a concern since the start of the pandemic. It affects public confidence in our institutions.

Doubts about impartiality

In order to maintain confidence, the European Union must immediately take action against any interference, says MEP Assita Kanko. “It is precisely for this reason that it is regrettable that the neutrality and impartiality of the EU department in charge of countering disinformation are being called into question. I hope that the European Commission can quickly and decisively reassure the public that there has been no question of interference in the report.”

Answers due

The N-VA MEP expects clear answers from the European Commission and the EEAS. “In my opinion, it is simple. When you prepare a report on disinformation, you write down facts. If the European Union wants to retain moral or academic authority, there is no room for politics or manipulation.”

Remarkable statement

Finally, Assita Kanko also points to the remarkable statement by European Commissioner Vestager, who among other things states in an interview in Knack magazine that “there are no guilty parties in this crisis, and certainly not the Chinese”. “I wonder whether this is an appropriate statement by a member of the Commission when increasing evidence is emerging of the very questionable way in which the Chinese Government has dealt with this crisis,” Assita Kanko concludes.