China Warns of Serious EU Consequences if Aligning with US Hawks

The Foundation of China-EU Relations is Economic Cooperation... EU Economy Needs the 1.4 Billion Chinese Market
In Response to China's Countermeasures, Germany, Italy, and Other Major EU Countries Summon Chinese Ambassadors in Their Countries

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese media have projected that the European Union's (EU) willingness to expand trade will influence future China-EU relations.

On the 22nd (local time), the EU imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials and one organization, citing responsibility for the oppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and human rights abuses. In response, China retaliated with sanctions against 10 European individuals and four organizations for spreading false information, escalating tensions between China and the EU.

The Global Times, citing experts, reported on the 24th that if tensions between China and the EU expand into trade and other economic sectors, the EU will suffer significant damage.

The outlet emphasized that the foundation of China-EU relations is economic cooperation, noting that China and the EU have maintained a successful economic partnership so far. It also referenced the "China-EU Comprehensive Investment Agreement" concluded at the end of last year.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Chui Hongjian, director of the European Studies Institute at the China Institute of International Studies, evaluated, "China's sanctions are much stronger than the EU's sanctions," adding, "This sends a clear message to the EU." Chui also warned, "If the EU plans additional sanctions, it will lead to serious consequences," and cautioned, "Human rights issues based on falsehoods should not be expanded into the trade sector."

Wang Yiwei, professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University, stated, "The EU needs more trade than China does, and to overcome economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, it requires China's market of 1.4 billion people." He further threatened, "If the EU aligns with the US hawks, it will face even stronger responses from China."

Chinese experts also emphasized that China surpassed the US last year to become the EU's largest trading partner. In fact, last year, trade between China and the EU amounted to 566 billion euros (711 billion dollars), exceeding the EU's trade volume with the US of 555 billion euros.

Regarding the EU's sanctions on China, Lu Xiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, criticized the Western camp collectively, saying, "The US is trying to build a so-called human rights alliance targeting China," and "They are pointing fingers at China while remaining silent about their own ugly human rights history."

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, detailed the massacres and human rights abuses committed by the Western camp, including the EU and the US, during a regular briefing held the previous day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Spokesperson Hua said, "The Western camp committed crimes against humanity in the past, such as Germany's massacre of 600,000 indigenous people in Namibia and six million Jews, and the US's killing of Afghan civilians in violation of the Geneva Conventions," adding, "Historically, the US and the EU cannot be 'human rights teachers'." He further stated, "The era when a few cannon shots opened China's gates 120 years ago is over."

Meanwhile, on the 23rd (local time), major EU countries including Germany summoned Chinese ambassadors stationed in their countries to protest China's retaliatory sanctions.

The German Foreign Ministry summoned Wu Ken, the Chinese ambassador to Germany, to protest that China's sanctions are inappropriate measures that create unnecessary tension in China-EU relations. Similarly, France, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, and Lithuania also summoned Chinese ambassadors stationed in their countries, signaling a rapid deterioration in China-EU relations.

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