"China Gains Reflexive Benefits from European Political Polarization... Weakening Pressure on China"

A report has emerged ahead of next month's European Parliament elections, stating that political polarization and division in the region could undermine sanctions such as trade pressure on China. The report suggests that political forces at both extremes are hindering the Parliament's anti-China measures, making effective joint responses difficult.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 28th, the Prague-based Association for International Affairs in the Czech Republic recently released a report with these findings. The report stated, "Far-left and far-right parties in Europe have consistently voted against bills and resolutions targeting China," and added, "China increasingly targets relationships with fringe parties to enhance its influence in European politics." It explained, "Both the far-right and far-left in the European Parliament are likely to prefer China-friendly choices," and "this will dilute support for more assertive pressure on China."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to the study, members of the German left-wing party Die Linke voted against China-related resolutions 48 times, while supporting them only 9 times. Additionally, left-wing members from Ireland, Portugal, and Spain introduced parliamentary resolution amendments that adopted the official positions of the Chinese government on issues such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Xinjiang.

Earlier, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) projected that the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group would increase its seats from 58 to 98, while left-wing parties would grow from 38 to 44 seats. Although none of these are core forces, their presence is growing as the influence of major party blocs is expected to decline.

According to the ECFR, the Green Party, which has taken the toughest stance on China in the Parliament, may see its seats decrease from 71 to 61. The centrist new parties, which have consistently supported stronger measures against China, are expected to drop by 15 seats to 86.

The report forecasted, "The rise of the far-right and far-left could change the legislative environment, including the European Union's (EU) stance on China," adding, "This could lead to a tougher political tone or changes in existing and new initiatives, resulting in more polarized debates within the European Parliament."

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