es.euronews.com
EU Needs to Act Faster to Counter China's Growing Influence, Says Barroso
Former EU President Barroso urges the EU to increase its influence against China's dominance, citing a €305.8 billion annual trade deficit with China and China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war as major concerns, while the upcoming EU-China summit is expected to be tense.
- What concrete steps must the EU take to effectively counter China's growing economic and geopolitical influence?
- The EU needs to act faster and more decisively to counter China's growing dominance, according to former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. He emphasizes the EU's need for a fully integrated single market and stronger defense, stating that these internal issues, not external factors, hinder the EU's influence.
- What are the long-term implications of China's economic and geopolitical strategies for the EU, and how can the EU adapt to this changing global landscape?
- The EU-China summit is unlikely to yield significant breakthroughs, as tensions remain high over trade disputes and China's stance on the Ukraine war. China's support for Russia, supplying crucial dual-use goods, further strains relations and casts doubt on China's commitment to multilateralism.
- How did the EU's past decisions regarding China, such as granting market economy status and negotiating the CAI, contribute to the current trade imbalance and geopolitical tensions?
- Barroso criticizes the EU's slow response to China's economic rise, highlighting missed opportunities to prevent China's trade surplus and dominance in key supply chains. He points to the EU's failure to grant China market economy status and the stalled Comprehensive Agreement on Investment as examples.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The headline and introduction frame the story around the EU's need to 'do more and faster' to counter China's influence, immediately setting a tone of urgency and potential weakness for the EU. This framing prioritizes the EU's challenges and concerns over a balanced assessment of the EU-China relationship. Barroso's quotes are selected to reinforce this narrative of EU insufficiency.
Language Bias
The language used contains some loaded terms that subtly influence the reader's perception. Phrases like 'increasingly dominant China,' 'devastating trade deficit,' and 'unjust subsidies' evoke negative connotations towards China's actions. More neutral alternatives could include 'expanding economic influence,' 'significant trade imbalance,' and 'government support.' The repeated emphasis on China's 'overproduction' suggests a critical stance.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the EU's perspective and concerns regarding China's economic practices and geopolitical influence. Missing is a significant presentation of China's perspective on these issues, potentially leading to an unbalanced portrayal of the EU-China relationship. The article also omits detailed analysis of the benefits of the EU-China relationship and the potential negative consequences of further escalating tensions. While the article mentions the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations, it doesn't elaborate on the positive aspects of this long-standing partnership.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic dichotomy between a dominant China and a comparatively weaker EU, suggesting that the EU must act more decisively to match China's influence. This framing overlooks the multifaceted nature of the EU-China relationship and the potential for cooperation, instead emphasizing a narrative of competition and tension.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the significant trade imbalance between the EU and China, with a €305.8 billion annual deficit for the EU. This imbalance contributes to economic inequality between the two regions, exacerbating existing disparities. China's alleged use of state-subsidized overproduction and unfair trade practices further intensifies this negative impact on equitable global economic growth. The EU's struggle to counteract this imbalance also points to a lack of effective multilateral mechanisms to address global economic inequalities.