EU says it does not fear China's rise, calls on Beijing to exercise power more responsibly

On Thursday, European Union's Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU does not fear China's rise. According to a report from Sputnik, he urged China to exercise power more responsibly. Borrell, who was slated to visit China, has had to postpone his visit. The reason? Well, COVID-19. Borrell tested positive after a COVID-19 test and as a result had to delay his visit, which was originally scheduled fromApril 13th to April 15th. 

"We do not fear China's rise. However, we know that the history of tomorrow's world will also depend on how China uses its power," he said, according to the website of the Diplomatic Service of the EU. According to the high-ranking EU diplomat, the global community must confront multiple challenges, including the climate emergency, the ongoing consequences of the pandemic, and the conflict in Ukraine. The diplomat further emphasized that the European Union (EU) expects China to take on more responsibility in terms of security and peace, given the strong economic relations between the two entities. However, the diplomat also noted that there exists an imbalance in trade between China and the EU that needs to be addressed and reduced.

Borrell speaks about Europe's dependence on China

"We all have an interest in maintaining an open system. If imbalances are not corrected, we have to react. Europe will remain the most open major market in the world, but we will not hesitate to take measures to protect ourselves against practices that we consider unfair," he said. The EU's leading diplomat expressed concerns about the overreliance of EU countries on other nations, including China, for critical raw materials such as cobalt, manganese, and magnesium.

The diplomat emphasised the need for diversification of value chains, noting that the strategic significance of a product is not solely dependent on its place of production, but also on where it is refined or manufactured. Furthermore, the diplomat highlighted the importance of preventing sensitive technologies from being utilised for military purposes.