RIA Novosti: European countries are preparing for a divorce from China

Moscow, March 2, 2023, 11:03 — REGNUM Using the conflict in Ukraine, Europe is increasingly being forced to reduce ties with China. On March 2, RIA Novosti columnist Pyotr Akopov writes about this.

It is noted that recently specialists from the Center for the Study of Sino-European Relations of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University and the Shanghai Institute of European Studies prepared reports on the state and prospects of relations between China and the European Union. As a result, the main trends in the EU policy towards China were identified.

It is noted that since “sustainable growth” is again becoming a priority for PRC policy, it is expected that trade and economic cooperation between the EU and China will expand and this will help mitigate economic difficulties and stop a possible recession.

It is clarified that at the same time, the EU is likely to continue its policy of reducing dependence on China, and will continue to search for alternative partners in specific trade and economic areas.

According to the agency, the EU can also resume political exchanges with China at all levels and strengthen political dialogue with it, but sanctions due to human rights violations, ideology, the crisis in Ukraine, the Taiwan issue, as well as pressure from Washington and the future Swedish presidency , will continue to restrict the EU’s policy towards China.

Another trend is that security issues of a different nature (the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in the Taiwan Strait) will occupy an important place in the Chinese policy of the EU, especially against the background of the fact that some member countries of the bloc supply Kiev with offensive weapons. This threatens to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, which in turn will introduce uncertainty into relations between China and the European Union.

It is noted that the policy of European countries in the direction of China is becoming increasingly dependent on Washington.

“Using the Ukrainian situation, the Anglo-Saxons are increasingly forcing Europe to reduce ties with China – or, to put it simply, they are preparing it for the inevitability of a break,” the agency says.