Visiting for the first time since the resumption last year of direct contacts between the European Parliament and Chinese authorities, the Foreign Affairs Committee members held meetings with leading scholars at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing and at Shanghai’s Fudan University. Also in Shanghai, the delegation was received by municipal authorities including Mayor Gong Zheng, and witnessed first-hand the practical applications of AI. The visit came days after the city hosted the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.
A delegation of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by its Chair David McAllister, participated in a three-day mission to China.
From 21 to 23 July, the delegation held meetings in Beijing and Shanghai – with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, and the leadership of the National People’s Congress including First Vice-Chairperson Li Hongzhong and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Lou Qinjian. The eight-member delegation also exchanged with EU and member state ambassadors in Beijing, the EU Chamber of Commerce, and with the International Department of the Communist Party of China, including Minister Liu Haixing.
Mission in hard times, political backdrop
The mission has taken place against the backdrop of political and geo-economic changes; MEPs stressed China’s crucial role in international affairs and the defence of the multilateral system. The delegation urged the country to use its influence on Russia to press for a ceasefire in Ukraine and for a just peace grounded in the UN Charter and in Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
MEPs reiterated their call on China to cease the transfer of dual-use goods and components to entities supporting Russia’s war of aggression. A country that presents itself as a force for peace cannot at the same time sustain the economy of the aggressor, MEPs stressed.
Questions of human rights were also raised
Emphasising that human rights are universal, the delegation also raised continued concerns over the human rights situation in China.
On trade, the EU’s deficit with China has reached a record €1 billion per day, a situation MEPs described as unsustainable. Members called for reciprocity, a level playing field and trust to ensure that bilateral relations can move forward in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way, including on the trade front.
Towards a stable and balanced EU-China relationship
Agreeing that stable and balanced EU-China relations are in the interest of both, MEPs and Chinese counterparts emphasised the importance of working together in defence of multilateralism and the UN Charter. They also discussed other avenues of cooperation including climate action and the green transition, and the responsible governance of AI.
Notwithstanding significant differences, the Committee on Foreign Affairs MEPs expressed the hope that the visit marks the beginning of a more regular and results-oriented dialogue between the European Parliament and China.
