Sino-European Cooperation Matters

By George N.Tzogopoulos

The current world order produces a sentiment of anxiety and fear within the international community. Chinas development is often interpreted in negative terms by the West and this evaluation shapes antagonistic tendencies. SinoEuropean relations have been partly affected by this atmosphere. Although last year ended with the conclusion in principle of negotiations for a comprehensive agreement on investment between China and the EU， tensions have not been uncommon in the first months of 2021.

The decision of the European Parliament in May to freeze the ratification of the deal influences the usual kinetic energy of the bilateral partnership. The EU had already imposed sanctions on China for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region， to which the Chinese Government fiercely responded. The European Parliament now hopes that China will lift its own sanctions as a goodwill gesture. But State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi clarified in a recent speech at a virtual session of the Munich Security Conference that it is not acceptable for some in the EU to turn trade issues into political ones. Encouraging political confrontation and economic decoupling between the two sides does not serve Europes interests and will not go very far， Wang added.

The nature of the sanctions is mainly symbolic. What matters more is the existing misunderstanding in Sino-European relations. The EU believes that it can act as a normative power in international relations and is eager to shape policies in accordance with what it perceives as ideal and close to its values. China， for its part， rejects concepts such as “systemic rivalry” and envisages a world where it ought to be respected by others for what it has accomplished with its own governance model. Its evolution as the second biggest economy in the world and its alleviation of absolute poverty are characteristic of these achievements. China thus does not tolerate finger-pointing.

What is crucial is the symbiosis of different countries in a world destined for peace and prosperity. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed serious weaknesses in the global capacity to respond to a common invisible enemy. The EU， where GDP per capita is much higher than in China， found it hard to prevent a second wave of infections， and the pace of vaccinations has been slower in comparison to other Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. The delayed return to normalcy maximizes economic losses for companies and individuals and ushers in a new period of uncertainty. In this respect， Chinas progress is confirmed by statistics， namely the total number of COVID-19 deaths， its economic performance as the only major economy to achieve positive growth in 2020 and the continuous increase in vaccine doses it administers.