China, EU should be two strong poles of a multipolar world
The recent visits to Beijing by European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have offered a good opportunity for China and the EU to enhance their mutual understanding and trust, inject new vigor into their relations, and help build up their economic interdependence and symbiotic growth.
Facing an increasingly tumultuous world, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the “de-globalization” and “decoupling” headwinds being orchestrated by the US, it is imperative for both the EU and China to stand up together and say no to Washington’s ill-willed attempts to debilitate and splinter our world.
As each other’s premium trade and economic partner, the EU and China depend on each other. It’s absurd and silly to argue which depends on the other more, which is being stirred up by some sinister politicians and think tanks in the US and the West. The fast-growing Chinese market with 1.4 billion consumers is a huge opportunity for the EU economy.
As proved by many years of close collaboration that have significantly benefited both the EU and Chinese economies, the two sides have 100 reasons to continue economic cooperation, resolutely support free global trade and technology integration and oppose trade protectionism and economic fragmentation. The EU should always act as an independent economic and political bloc, never downgrading itself into an expendable piece on Washington’s geopolitical chessboard.
Strengthening each other’s economies and improving their people’s livelihoods should top the agenda of the governments of EU countries and China, for only strong economies could enable them to weather whatever the future headwind is. So, it is in the common interest of China and the EU to continue to see one another as true partners and responsible stakeholders, while definitely not rivals or adversaries, because there are no irreconcilable geopolitical conflicts between them.
The stakes are high for the two sides to always uphold their win-win economic cooperation, not to be influenced or swayed by Washington politicians and Anglo-Saxon think tanks’ preaching for win-lose competition and cut-throat rivalry – which in essence is zero-sum game to prolong the US’ hegemonic role on our planet. As a matter of fact, a multipolar world in which the EU and China act as two decisive poles is more endurable, ideal and stable than a unipolar one.
As the Biden administration has been persuading European governments to follow its obstinate and ruthless calculation to “decouple” from the
Chinese economy, most EU countries have distanced themselves from the US and its inner-circle allies such as the UK and Canada.
The European Council held a strategic discussion on EU’s policy toward China in late October, reaffirming EU’s stance that it should have an independent China policy rather than doing Washington’s bidding. That policy stance has won broad acclaim in the world.
Certainly, no single relationship is without problems. It is naive to define a relationship in just one or two aspects, claiming that the relationship is not working perfectly well or it is going to collapse.
Face-to-face communication between Chinese and EU leaders is of pivotal importance to promoting the steady growth of their relations through seeking common grounds and resolving their differences through sincere consultations. It is hoped that more European leaders could visit China next year.
Despite all the differences and sometimes disputes between them, China and the EU have one of the strongest economic ties that always help them withstand challenges. The relations have been resilient for many years, and both sides should take the initiative and be more inclusive and pragmatic to bolster the fruitful ties.