Xi Jinping, "China Does Not Need 'Human Rights Teachers'"

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[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a firm message saying, "China does not need human rights teachers," when the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Xinjiang Uyghur human rights issues were raised during the China-European Union (EU) summit.

On the 14th (local time), during the China-EU virtual summit, EU leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, pressured the Chinese government to advance the investment agreement and raised human rights concerns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang Uyghur regions.

President Michel said at a press conference after the meeting, "We urged China to honor their commitments to the people of Hong Kong and the international community." He also emphasized, "We repeatedly expressed concerns about the treatment of ethnic minorities, human rights activists, and journalists in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Tibet Autonomous Region."

President Xi expressed a clear difference in views, stating, "The paths to protecting human rights may differ, and there is no best way to guarantee human rights, only better ways."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Xi continued, "China does not need human rights teachers and opposes the double standards of the Western camp." Using a metaphor, he warned, "As it is an internal affair, do not interfere."

China and EU leaders also showed clear differences in perspectives regarding the investment agreement.

While President Xi emphasized multilateralism, EU leaders advocated cooperation based on reciprocity.

President Xi stressed, "China and the EU are important trade and investment partners," adding, "Both sides must strengthen coordination and create more opportunities for cooperation."

He highlighted China's domestic market by saying, "By leveraging domestic potential, China and Europe will jointly promote development more strongly and sustainably."

President Xi also reiterated the multilateralism policy he has emphasized so far. He stated, "It is important to maintain the international order and system centered on the United Nations (UN)," indicating a willingness to politically resolve international and regional issues. Multilateralism is a term frequently emphasized by Xi and Chinese leadership whenever US-China conflicts are mentioned.

The People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency reported that the investment agreement negotiations between China and the EU will be completed within the year, which will promote the early recovery of the EU and the global economy.

Contrary to such reports from Chinese media, the EU side did not respond optimistically.

The EU side expressed different opinions from China, emphasizing fairness and reciprocity.

President Michel said at a press conference after the meeting, "Europe needs to be a player, not just a playing field," adding, "We want more fairness. We want a more balanced relationship. This means reciprocity and a fair competitive environment." This implies that trade with China has not been fair so far.

Commission President von der Leyen also said, "We are very serious about accessing the Chinese market and removing barriers," adding, "China must convince us that signing the investment agreement is worthwhile."

Chancellor Merkel emphasized, "China has become economically much stronger over the past 15 years," adding, "This means that demands for reciprocity and a fair competitive environment are justified."

China and the EU have been negotiating the investment agreement since 2014 but have yet to find common ground.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.