At the European Council on 28 and 29 June, the EU27 will continue their strategic discussion on EU-China relations (see EUROPE 13209/7), recognising the approach of de-risking rather thandecoupling risks, as previously put forward by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, at the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council on 12 May (see EUROPE 13181/4).
The EU Council will therefore address the issue of continuing to engage with China, in particular to tackle global challenges and encourage it to “take more ambitious action on climate change and biodiversity, health and pandemic preparedness, food security, disaster reduction, debt relief, and humanitarian assistance”, as set out in the latest draft conclusions of the European Council.
The EU27 will discuss the economic relationship with China, which is based on the protection of fair competitive conditions and how the European Union will continue to reduce its critical dependencies and vulnerabilities, “including for its supply chains, and will de-risk and diversify where necessary and appropriate”, particularly for critical materials, digital technologies and semiconductors.
Finally, from a geopolitical point of view, the EU Council intends to call once again on China to put pressure on Russia to put an end to its war of aggression in Ukraine and to withdraw its troops.
It is also expected to talk about maintaining its position on the situation in the Taiwan Strait, which consists of favouring the ‘One China policy’, and to reaffirm the promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental rights.
To see the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/7s3 (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)