China’s divide-and-conquer tactics already ‘in action’: von der Leyen

China’s plan to pit EU nations in opposition to one another with the intention to advance its personal geopolitical pursuits is already “in motion,” Ursula von der Leyen has warned in a brand new important speech.

The cautionary remarks from the European Fee president come virtually two weeks after her joint journey with French President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing.

On the finish of that go to, Macron attracted controversy for suggesting the European Union shouldn’t grow to be “America’s follower” within the confrontation between China and the US over Taiwan, a democratic island that the Chinese language Communist Celebration considers a breakaway province and has vowed to reunite with the mainland.

“Is it in our curiosity to speed up [a crisis] on Taiwan? No. The more serious factor can be to assume that we Europeans should grow to be followers on this subject and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese language overreaction,” Macron mentioned in an interview with Politico Europe and Les Echos, referring to the idea of “strategic autonomy.”

Macron’s phrases triggered an intense backlash from Jap European and American officers, who lashed out on the French chief for undermining the transatlantic alliance.

Talking on Tuesday morning earlier than the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen rigorously bypassed the controversy however issued a pointed caveat on what Beijing is attempting to perform.

“A robust European China coverage depends on sturdy coordination between member states and EU establishments, and on a willingness to keep away from the divide and conquer ways that we all know we could face,” von der Leyen mentioned, quoting a earlier speech.

“Now we have already within the latest days and weeks seen these ways in motion,” she went on.

“And it’s now time for Europe to maneuver to motion, too. Now could be the time to exhibit our collective will, it’s time to collectively outline what success appears to be like like, and to indicate that unity that makes us sturdy.”

On Taiwan, von der Leyen underlined the EU’s dedication to the One China coverage, which recognises the Individuals’s Republic of China as the only real authorities of China, however insisted on the necessity to protect “peace and stability” within the Taiwan Strait.

Western allies have lengthy suspected Beijing may launch a full-scale navy intervention to take management of the island, a cataclysm that will in all probability upend the provision chains of semiconductors and produce the worldwide financial system to a standstill.

“We stand strongly in opposition to any unilateral change of the established order, particularly by way of power,” von der Leyen mentioned.

Throughout her intervention, the European Fee chief mentioned the world had modified “enormously” since 2019 when the bloc unveiled its final widespread coverage on China, and urged member states to give you a brand new, unified technique, “one which we are able to all rally round.”

However this effort has been thwarted by deep-seated disagreements amongst EU nations on methods to interact with China, a cut up clearly mirrored in the unfavourable reception of Macron’s feedback.

Beijing’s place on the Ukraine battle, which the West considers overly ambivalent and biased in favour of Moscow, has additional compounded the coverage problem.

“I imagine we are able to – and we should – carve out our personal distinct European strategy that additionally leaves area for us to cooperate with different companions, too,” von der Leyen mentioned, in an obvious reference to Macron’s long-held need for strategic autonomy.

“And the place to begin for that is the necessity to have a shared and really clear-eyed image of the dangers and the alternatives in our engagement with China.”

Von der Leyen then repeated her proposal primarily based on “de-risking” sure features of EU-China relations, comparable to renewable vitality, uncooked supplies, rising applied sciences and defence, which at the moment are extra uncovered to undue interference as a consequence of “China’s express fusion of its navy and business sectors.”

The president added her companies would develop a brand new instrument to oversee outbound funding in a “very small quantity however delicate applied sciences,” which she didn’t title.

“We have to be certain that our firms’ capital, their experience, their information aren’t used to boost the navy and intelligence capabilities of those that are additionally our systemic rivals,” von der Leyen mentioned.

“That can not be.”