EU Criticizes China For Ukraine Conflict Position
After the words of European Commission member Valdis Dombrovskis, who saw “reputational risks for China,” it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to resume trade and economic dialogue between Brussels and Beijing. Meanwhile, the race for the White House accelerates in the United States, and Republican candidate Ron DeSantis says no to Ukraine in NATO.
The sensitive topic of the Chinese approach to the armed conflict in Ukraine constantly returns to the agenda of disputes between the European Union and the leadership of Beijing. This time, criticism of China’s refusal to “condemn” Russia was voiced by the member of the European Commission responsible for trade, Valdis Dombrovskis. He spoke to students at Tsinghua University in Beijing and said that such a position “causes serious damage to the country’s image not only towards European consumers, but also towards companies.”
There is a risk that relations between the EU and China will turn into a permanent trade war. The EU wants to “reduce the risks” associated with Europe’s growing economic dependence on China and no longer wants to share its advanced technologies with Chinese companies.
On Monday, September 25, Dombrovskis, who is in China as head of a delegation of European officials to restart economic and commercial relations, will co-chair with Chinese Deputy Prime Minister He Lifeng the 10th “Bilateral Dialogue” between Brussels and Beijing.
But the “dialogue” will take place against the gloomy background of a new “commercial conflict”: The European Commission has launched an anti-dumping investigation against import of Chinese electric vehicles and has already threatened to impose prohibitive tariffs. Brussels is unable to reduce the trade imbalance in favor of China: last year trade turnover reached $847 billion, while China’s surplus reached $427 billion.
At the same time, Ukraine, as a candidate country for participation in various international organizations, found itself at the center of the presidential election campaign in the United States. While President Joe Biden is rapidly losing support for his policies on the economy, immigration, his advanced age, and Ukraine, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Republican candidate second only to Donald Trump in popularity, has said he is firmly opposed to Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO, considering such a prospect to be inconsistent with the interests of ensuring American security. On the Glenn Beck Show podcast (Bloomberg), DeSantis said, “I don’t think that Ukraine joining NATO is in our interests. It would add more responsibilities for us. If you add more obligations, what benefits will we get?”
According to the latest population surveys, voters questioned Biden’s “exaggerated aid” to Ukraine, which cost American taxpayers more than $110 billion over a year and a half.
Republican DeSantis clarified that the United States should not give Ukraine a “carte blanche” in financing the war.
