‘No coherence’: Chinese EU Ambassador blasts von der Leyen’s speech

A day after delivering a scathing speech on China, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Fee, has been criticised for distorting Chinese language insurance policies and siding with American hard-liners.

Fu Cong, the Chinese language Ambassador to the European Union, provided on Friday the primary official response to the tackle, saying there was “no coherence” in von der Leyen’s views.

“I used to be somewhat bit disenchanted,” Fu Cong advised CGTN, a state-controlled Chinese language media outlet.

“That speech contained loads of misrepresentations and misinterpretations of Chinese language insurance policies and Chinese language positions. And I might say that whoever wrote that speech for President von der Leyen does probably not perceive China or intentionally distorted Chinese language positions.”

In her 40-minute-speech, von der Leyen painted a sober, and at occasions scorching, image of the present state of EU-China relations, describing them as “extra distant and harder,” and immediately accused Beijing of trumping the free-trade order, bullying small-sized international locations, violating human rights, toughening its army standing and ramping up disinformation campaigns.

Her searing tone attracted media consideration and shocked many observers, who’re used to listening to extra average views from EU officers in the case of China.

“These escalatory actions level to a China that’s turning into extra repressive at dwelling and extra assertive overseas,” von der Leyen stated.

“China has now turned the web page on the period of ‘reform and opening’ and is transferring into a brand new period of safety and management.”

Von der Leyen additionally took intention on the ever-closer relation between China and Russia whereas the Ukraine battle rages on.

“China sees Putin’s weak spot as a option to improve its leverage over Russia,” von der Leyen stated.

“And it’s clear that the ability steadiness in that relationship – which for a lot of the final century favoured Russia – has now reversed.” 

Regardless of her stinging evaluation, von der Leyen famous the EU merely couldn’t afford a clean-cut breakup with China, and recommended a technique primarily based on “de-risking” fairly than “de-coupling.”

“Our relationships usually are not black or white – and our response can’t be both,” she stated, calling for diplomatic stability and open communication traces.

For Fu Cong, this method displays a “deep-seated ambivalence” and exposes von der Leyen’s worry of being seen as too gentle on China, significantly by her American allies.

“On the one aspect, she realises that it is necessary for Europe and it is within the pursuits of Europe to interact with China. And on the identical time, she’s additionally afraid of the criticism, particularly from hard-liners in Europe and possibly even the USA,” the ambassador stated in his interview with CGTN, edits of which had been shared on Twitter.

“When you learn the speech, you have got the impression as if two individuals (had been) quarrelling with one another, so there isn’t a coherence.”

Von der Leyen’s speech was delivered per week earlier than she is scheduled to journey to China for an official go to alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Notably, the hosts of the occasions through which she spoke had been the European Coverage Centre and the Mercator Institute for China Research (MERICS), the latter of which is underneath Chinese language sanctions.

“We do hope that in her go to to China and her dialogue with the Chinese language leaders, she’s going to be capable to perceive China higher,” Fu Cong stated.