EU, US and Indo-Pacific need to participate in efforts to counter China’s coercive influence: Lithuanian parliamentary meeting

The Lithuanian parliament held an international conference on May 24 to address the potential impact of China’s communist regime on Lithuania and EU countries.

The conference talks on “How can the European Union and the United States strengthen cross-Atlantic cooperation to counter China’s efforts to rule the world and prevent the destruction of the current world order on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean?” Focused. The value of liberal democracy, “said a statement from the Lithuanian parliament.

Lithuanian Parliament Vice-Chairman and European Affairs Commission Chairman Radville Morknity Morknity Morknity Morknity Night-Mikul Late Purple Dawn said at the conference “Second year, China’s influence Is considered one of the threats to our national security. “

The most important aspect of the agreement on cooperation with China is the “common values ​​of Western democracy.” [the] European Union, Basic Principles on Human Rights, [and] Rule of Law “and Morkūnait Trillion Purple Nights-Mikulnien<0xC4><0x97><0x97><0x97>Said.

Transatlantic cooperation

Reinhard Butikofer, a member of the European Parliament on behalf of Germany and chair of the European Parliament’s delegation to China, said at the conference that Europe would like to counter China’s influence, not just the United States. He said he needed to work with the countries that do. Indo-Pacific region such as Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

In addition, Butikofer strengthened economic cooperation with Taiwan, improved political relations with Taiwan, showed solidarity when Taiwan faced provocation from the Chinese administration, and made Taiwan the activities of international organizations such as: He advised to strengthen European relations with Taiwan by supporting all efforts to include it in. We are helping WHO (World Health Organization) and Taiwan counter disinformation in China.

“Europe has frozen Taiwan relations for fear of China’s reaction,” said Anas for Rasmussen, founder of the Alliance of Democracy Foundation and former NATO Secretary General.He said, “Resuming political negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty. [with Taiwan]”

Buticoffer emphasized the need to enhance China’s capabilities around Europe by participating in common projects with Taiwan, such as opening a TV channel in Mandarin for Europe.

In addition to cross-Atlantic cooperation and cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries, Europe also needs to cooperate with the United Kingdom, Rasmussen said.

Senator Jim Risch (Republican, Idaho), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is also between Europe and the United States to protect an open system of rules and institutions that defend individual rights and freedoms. Emphasized the importance of strong cooperation. The same is true for market-based economies.

Risch said economic competition with China is welcome, but only if it is fair. “We must demand greater reciprocity and China’s adherence to the rule of law and international norms,” ​​he said.

“We can’t continue this pattern of keeping our promises to China, but they don’t support the end of the negotiations,” Rish said.

Countering economic coercion

“From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, most world leaders made strategic assumptions, which means that with economic and political involvement, we assume that China must change. We thought that over time, China would become more like Hong Kong. Unfortunately, under President Xi. [Jinping], Hong Kong has become more Chinese, “Rasmussen explained.

“China is not a of 10 years ago, China’s Xi Jinping, China’s Xi Jinping is more aggressive in the domestic, international and more aggressive in” order, used to Europe to deal with China 10 years ago Even the approach we did cannot be applied today. China is known for failing to meet its international obligations, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, where it fails to fulfill its promises and is trying to bully nations, he added.

China is using economic coercion as a legitimate national policy to achieve its political goals, Rish said.

Beautycopher advised taking some steps to encourage China to act in accordance with international rules and follow fair economic practices. This includes anti-dumping measures to prevent China from selling imported goods at prices below fair value, foreign investment reviews, and prevention of imports of goods from producers subsidized by the Chinese government. Subsidy prevention measures should be included, and anti-force measures to protect European countries from now on. The type of coercion that China exerted on Australia, and the ban on imports of products manufactured by forced labor.

“If we pursue a course to build an alliance of like-minded nations with democracies who want to share a rule-based multilateral defense, and we are on economic goals and climate. If we don’t trade off human rights, we’ve succeeded in confronting China, “Beautycoffer said.

Rasmussen proposed the development of the following tools: Article 5 NATO’s founding treaty that defines the principles of the right of collective self-defense to address the economic coercion that the Chinese government uses to silence potential critics.

Article 5 stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members of the alliance.

Similarly, countries need to rally to support producers threatened to commit human rights abuses in China, Rasmussen said, with the tool “a credit line to undertake those facing coercion.” “Include”, he added.

Europe also needs to address strategic vulnerabilities in critical supply chains or critical raw materials such as rare earth elements, Rasmussen said. “China has almost monopolized the processing of these materials that formed the DNA of the Green Revolution and the Technological Revolution.”

Europe should consider all resources, including Greenland, where it is hoped that it will develop a green and sustainable raw material industry and help build a technological alliance of democracy, Rasmussen. Advised.

Risch emphasized the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence on new emerging technologies at US universities. It also creates an opportunity for the Chinese Communist Party to spread their propaganda and suppress debates on issues such as Tibet and Taiwan, Rish continued. He said he was looking forward to working with his European colleagues to address these issues.

Another area of ​​potential cooperation between the US and the EU could be screening for foreign investment in the CCP, Risk said.

Rish advised that both the US and the EU should resolve disputes in their trade relations in order to “show a united front against China’s anti-free market policy.” “We should also work to secure and strengthen critical infrastructure, from energy grids and supply chains to ports and submarine cables,” he added.

Lithuania confronts Chinese regime

Risch praised the “Lithuanian government paying attention to the risks of investing in Chinese ports.”

On May 22, Lithuania withdrew from Beijing’s “17 + 1” platform, a Chinese initiative in which the Baltic States participated in 2012.

China’s regime officially launched a platform (originally named the “16 + 1” platform) in April 2012, cooperating with 11 EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe and five Balkan countries. Has been strengthened. After Greece joined this initiative in April 2019, the platform was renamed to “17 + 1”.

This initiative requires participating countries to work with China in many areas, including finance, health, trade and technology.

On May 20, the Lithuanian parliament Solution He strongly condemns the large-scale, systematic and serious human rights violations by the Chinese administration and the genocide against Uighurs.

The resolution also emphasized that the forced deprivation of large-scale organs from unconsented prisoners of conscience, including practitioners of the spiritual Falun Gong movement, was a crime against humanity.

The bill called on the administration to immediately stop these crimes and all human rights abuses, end the genocide against Uighurs, and release all prisoners of conscience.

In addition, the new National Security Law imposed by the Chinese government on Hong Kong undermines China’s international obligations under the “one country, two systems,” and called on the Chinese government to withdraw it.

Buticoffer praised Lithuania. [the] The country believes, “he added, hoping that” other countries will follow Lithuanian lead “and also withdraw from the” 17 + 1 “platform.

Frank Fang contributed to this report.