MEPs adopted, by 474 votes to 60 with 80 abstentions, an own-initiative report by David McAllister (EPP, Germany) on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, on Tuesday 7 June.
In this report, the MEPs stress the opportunity and need to build close ties with democratic countries that share the EU’s values in the Indo-Pacific region. For them, these countries include: Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Cooperation with these countries should focus on “capacity building, hybrid threats, non-proliferation and crisis response, cyber defence, civilian preparedness and the UN programme for women, peace and security”, according to the adopted report.
The European Parliament envisages that the EU could establish a dialogue with the recently formed AUKUS military alliance between Australia, the US and the UK.
In addition, the MEPs expressed concern about China’s behaviour on the world stage, particularly in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They are “concerned that the Chinese leadership has not clearly condemned this illegal war”.
MEPs are more generally worried about China’s behaviour in the region and condemn “Chinese diplomacy, which is based on intimidation and manipulative disinformation campaigns”. To counter Beijing, they call on EU Member States to show unity in the EU Council regarding “the adoption of measures to respond to China’s undemocratic policies and aggressive behaviour”.
See the adopted report: https://aeur.eu/f/1yu (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)