Geert Bourgeois: “Time for a new China strategy”

This week in Strasbourg, the European Parliament debated the stance the Union must take on China. French President Macron’s recent unfortunate statements about Taiwan fuelled this much-needed debate. “We must not be naive and we must reduce the risks, but without jeopardising our transatlantic partnership,” says delegation head Geert Bourgeois.

“China is a sleeping giant; let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world,” Napoleon warned 200 years ago. Well, China really is a giant today, the second-largest economy in the world and a huge nuclear military power. Moreover, it is a masterful strategist pushing itself forward worldwide via the New Silk Road, in Africa and in South America. It is high time to complement the EU vision ‘China is a partner, a competitor and a rival’ with an economic security strategy,” Geert Bourgeois said as he addressed the plenary session in Strasbourg.

China continues to be a trading partner

“Disconnecting from China is not a good option,” says Geert. “We must drastically reduce our trade deficit of around EUR 400 billion. The EU must continue to embrace multilateralism. Moreover, our transition to renewable energy would collapse without the rare earth materials for which China has made itself strategically almost indispensable. This dependency needs to be addressed urgently, and we should have done that before adopting the ‘Fit for 55’ plan.”

Economic security must become a priority

Geert Bourgeois does state that we must reduce the risks as much as possible. “We must invest more in key sectors ourselves and thus achieve smart open strategic autonomy. The EU must also not delay making important trade agreements and diversifying its supply lines.  The green left-wing liberal ideological resistance to the Mercosur agreement, among others, has immense economic and geostrategic consequences. We may not leave critical infrastructure and strategic investments to China.”

Big blunder

It is harmful to give the impression, as Macron did, that Taiwan is solely a matter for the US and China. That is the quickest way for the EU to stand alone in supporting Ukraine. We must not let the transatlantic partnership be played apart.

Therefore, the N-VA is calling for not disconnecting, but awakening and showing unity in EU policy towards China.