EU Leaders Told to Prioritize Human Rights in China Strategy

European Union leaders have been urged to reevaluate their approach to China, focusing on human rights rather than just economic interests. The EU has given the European Commission a mandate to develop additional trade defense instruments to protect its markets against subsidized imports.

A recent meeting between France and Germany marked a shift in their stance on China, labeling it 'challenging our economy' and calling for an EU roadmap to protect European industries. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized the need for a strategic reorientation, acknowledging Europe's dependence on trade with China.

However, critics argue that any shift in approach must prioritize human rights, given the deep connection between China's economic policies and its authoritarian model. The Chinese government has been accused of state-imposed forced labor, mass surveillance, and repression, which have infiltrated industries crucial to EU-China trade, including electric battery production, solar energy, and technology.

European governments have largely turned a blind eye to these human rights abuses in pursuit of access to Chinese markets and suppliers. Beijing has also made it increasingly difficult for European institutions and companies to scrutinize and respond to its human rights abuses, with coercive practices targeting foreign companies and their staff through extraterritorial measures.