部長們敦促歐洲需要對中國關係采取更強硬的立場
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/13/world/politics-diplomacy-world/europe-china-policy/
彭博社 2023 年 5 月 13 日
瑞典外交大臣托比亞斯·比爾斯特羅姆與歐盟外交與安全政策高級代表兼歐盟委員會副主席何塞普·博雷爾出席周五在斯德哥爾摩舉行的歐盟外交部長和專員非正式會議在斯泰寧厄城堡舉行的新聞發布會 . | TT NEWS AGENCY / VIA REUTERS瑞典外交大臣托比亞斯·比爾斯特羅姆與歐盟外交與安全政策高級代表兼歐盟委員會副主席何塞普·博雷爾在斯泰寧格城堡就歐盟外長和歐盟外長非正式會議舉行新聞發布會 周五在斯德哥爾摩的委員們。 | TT 通訊社/VIA REUTERS
歐盟多位外長表示，歐盟必須團結一致，對中國采取更強硬的立場，以應對北京的崛起。
“不幸的是，與中國相關的競爭和競爭方麵有所增加，”德國的安娜萊娜貝爾博克在歐盟同行於斯德哥爾摩舉行會議之前告訴記者。 “因此，去風險戰略將成為歐盟政治的指導方針。”
歐盟輪值主席國瑞典的托拜厄斯·比爾斯特羅姆 (Tobias Billstrom) 表示，歐盟應該討論如何在與中國打交道時“集中力量，創造更多團結”，同時深化跨大西洋聯係。
歐盟正在尋求對中國采取共同的做法，在采取更強硬的立場與維護仍與世界第二大經濟體相互關聯的供應鏈之間取得平衡。 歐盟外交事務部門起草的一份文件呼籲成員國避免卷入華盛頓和北京之間的零和博弈，因為它致力於管理中國的崛起。
該文件重申了歐盟同時作為合作夥伴、競爭對手和係統性競爭對手與中國打交道的戰略，但表示這些方式的平衡將取決於中國如何回應歐洲的做法。
包括歐盟委員會主席烏爾蘇拉·馮德萊恩在內的歐洲官員越來越多地談到與中國的“去風險”——但不是“脫鉤”關係。 德國總理奧拉夫·舒爾茨本周表達了同樣的看法，而意大利已向美國發出信號，表示它打算在年底前退出與中國的一項有爭議的投資協定。
“中國的自信，它在台灣海峽的軍事姿態是我們必須非常認真對待的事情，”比爾斯特羅姆說。 他補充說，各國在與中國打交道時“絕不能天真”，無論是國營經濟還是一黨製國家。
“這是歐盟和全球社會其他國家都必須重新考慮其立場的事情，”比爾斯特羅姆說，他還提到了定於周六在斯德哥爾摩舉行的歐盟-印太論壇。
在歐盟提議將嚴格的貿易限製擴大到幾家中國公司之後，歐盟與中國的關係可能進一步緊張，引發了這場辯論。 歐盟正在尋求打擊向俄羅斯供應違禁商品的公司，這些違禁商品助長了俄羅斯在烏克蘭的戰爭。 中國外交部長秦剛本周在訪問歐洲各國首都時表示，中國將對任何此類措施做出“嚴厲而強烈”的反應。
美國國務院參讚 Derek Chollet 周五晚些時候在斯德哥爾摩接受采訪時表示，他相信在歐盟對華戰略方麵“我們的觀點會有很多重疊”。
“我們尊重歐盟內部存在多種觀點，盡管在戰略層麵上，歐盟內部以及美國和歐盟之間在中國問題上的趨同程度比我們曆史上任何時候都要大， 自 1949 年以來，”Chollet 說。
立陶宛外交部長 Gabrielius Landsbergis 讚同 Billstrom 推動采取更強有力的方法。 他說：“如果你從宣布對中國的戰略依賴的弱勢地位與中國打交道，那會使我們處於非常不利的地位，而我們在與俄羅斯的關係中已經處於這種地位很長一段時間了。”
Landsbergis 還呼籲對歐盟以外的製裁進行更廣泛的貿易限製，而不僅僅是幾家中國公司。 “如果中國公司這樣做，他們應該得到那個信息，”他說。 “但任何其他協助俄羅斯規避製裁的國家都應該明白，他們也在受到關注。”
外長們還將討論俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭的問題。
北京將於下周派出特使——李輝大使——前往烏克蘭、俄羅斯和其他歐洲國家，努力促進通過外交途徑解決俄羅斯在烏克蘭的戰爭。 在歐盟文件中，歐盟表示，如果北京不推動俄羅斯從烏克蘭撤軍，中國與歐盟的關係將“受到嚴重影響”。
法國總統埃馬紐埃爾·馬克龍上個月訪問中國，並在沒有事先與歐洲盟友協商的情況下就推動就烏克蘭問題進行可能的談判尋求中國的幫助，這引發了人們對歐盟是否能夠對北京采取共同立場的疑慮。 對於尋求以潛在調解人身份出現的中國領導人習近平來說，他的此行相當於一場外交政變。
Europe needs stronger line on China ties, ministers urge
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/13/world/politics-diplomacy-world/europe-china-policy/
BLOOMBERG
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom attends a news conference with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell at Steninge Castle in connection with the informal meeting of the EU's foreign ministers and commissioners in Stockholm on Friday. | TT NEWS AGENCY / VIA REUTERS
The European Union must unite around a stronger stance toward China as it tries to cope with Beijing’s rising power, several of the bloc’s foreign ministers said.
“Unfortunately aspects of competition and rivalry have increased in relation to China,” Germany’s Annalena Baerbock told reporters ahead of a gathering of her EU counterparts in Stockholm. “The strategy of de-risking will therefore become the guideline of EU politics.”
Sweden's Tobias Billstrom, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said the bloc should discuss how to “focus its strength and create more unity” in dealings with China, while deepening transatlantic links.
The EU is seeking a common approach toward China, balancing a harder stance with preserving supply chains still interlinked with the world’s second-biggest economy. A paper drafted by the EU’s foreign affairs arm, which is due to kick-start discussions, calls on member states to avoid being drawn into a zero-sum contest between Washington and Beijing as it works to manage China’s rise.
The paper reaffirmed the bloc’s strategy of dealing with China simultaneously as a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival, but said the balance of those approaches will be conditional on how China responds to Europe’s approach.
European officials, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have increasingly spoken about “de-risking” — but not “de-coupling” — relations with China. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed the same sentiment this week, while Italy has signaled to the U.S. that it intends to pull out of a controversial investment pact with China before the end of the year.
“China’s assertiveness, its military posturing in the Taiwan Strait is something we have to take very seriously,” Billstrom said. He added that nations “must not be naive” in their dealings with China, both a state economy and a one-party state.
“This is something where both the EU and the rest of the global society have to reconsider its positions,” Billstrom said, referring also to an EU-Indo Pacific forum due in Stockholm on Saturday.
The debate comes as the bloc’s ties with China risk further tensions following an EU proposal to extend strict trade restrictions to several Chinese companies. The EU is looking to crack down on firms supplying Russia with banned goods that have aided its war in Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said while touring European capitals this week it would react “strictly and strongly” to any such measures.
U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, speaking later Friday, said in an interview in Stockholm that he was confident that “we will see a lot of overlap in terms of our perspective” in relation to the EU’s strategy on China.
“We respect that there’s a multiplicity of views within the EU, even though at a strategic level there is greater convergence on the PRC within the EU, and between the U.S. and the EU, than at any moment than we have had in our history, since 1949,” Chollet said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis echoed Billstrom in pushing for a stronger approach. “If you engage with China from a position of weakness where you declare your strategic dependence on China, that puts us in a very disadvantaged position and we’ve been in that position with Russia for a very long time,” he said.
Landsbergis also called for broader trade restrictions on sanctions circumvention outside the EU, beyond just several Chinese companies. “If Chinese companies do that, they should get that message,” he said. “But any other country assisting Russia to circumvent sanctions should understand that they’re also under the radar.”
The foreign ministers will also discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Beijing will send a special envoy — Ambassador Li Hui — to Ukraine, Russia and other European countries next week in efforts to foster a diplomatic resolution to Russia’s war in Ukraine. In the EU paper, the EU said China’s relationship with the bloc would be “critically affected” if Beijing does not push Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China last month and his push to enlist its help on possible talks on Ukraine without first consulting with European allies fueled doubts as to whether the EU is able to adopt a common stance toward Beijing. His trip amounted to a diplomatic coup for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who is seeking to appear as a potential mediator.
