EU builds ties with Asia
BRUSSELS, Oct 20, (AFP): European leaders sought to build support from Asia Thursday in defence of free trade and the fight against climate change, to counter the growing protectionism of President Donald Trump’s America.
The 28 EU states were joined at a summit in Brussels by more than 20 Asian leaders including Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japan’s Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is also attending, despite tensions over Moscow’s alleged cyber attacks on international institutions and European democracy.
Amid bitter tariff disputes with Washington, the leaders are expected to use the two days of talks to give their backing to the global trading system based on the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“To those who prefer quick fixes without clear rules I say it’s not worth it. A world without rules is by definition a world of chaos,” EU Council President Donald Tusk said as he opened the summit.
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini insisted as she arrived that it was not an “anti-Trump” meeting, before enumerating most of the current areas of difference between Europe and the United States.
“We don’t organise meetings against anyone,” she said.
“We have our agenda, it’s a very clear agenda that supports multilateralism, starting from the UN system, climate change action, trade – free and fair – non-proliferation and international agreements that support the non-proliferation global architecture.”
After a gala dinner on Thursday evening, the leaders head into talks on Friday, while Singapore and Vietnam are expected to sign trade deals with the EU on the sidelines of the event.
Korean detente will also be on the agenda, with senior EU officials to hold talks with Moon, who earlier this week said world powers need to reassure the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he had taken the right decision in committing to scrap his nuclear weapons programme.
The EU will also seek to shore up support for the beleaguered Iran nuclear deal, which suffered a hammer blow when the US pulled out earlier this year and reimposed sanctions on Iran – despite the desperate pleas of European allies.
Brussels is seeking to beef up its role in international diplomacy, answering a call by European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU to develop a more muscular foreign policy to match its economic clout.
The leaders will discuss the EU’s new “Asia connectivity strategy”, which aims to improve transport, digital and energy links between the two continents while promoting environmental and labour standards.