The EU-China courtship is flagging. More action and less talk, from Beijing, can rekindle the relationship

Trump may have pushed China and the EU closer, but the US-China phase one trade deal, slow progress on a comprehensive investment agreement and Beijing’s foot-dragging over economic liberalisation are straining relations

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) greets his EU counterpart Josep Borrell on the sidelines of the 14th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Madrid, Spain, on December 15, 2019. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 9:00pm, 26 Jun 2020Updated: 10:23pm, 26 Jun 2020

It’s difficult to be sure, but it seems that Europe and China are in the process of wooing each other. If this is so, it so far seems a joyless courtship, as both have been jilted by the feckless Lothario in the room and forced to think about second-best choices.

But, as with so many arranged marriages around the world, it may be that pragmatism and low expectations can forge a practical, enduring relationship that might over time amount to something. As European Union foreign policy head Josep Borrell noted this month, despite their many differences, China remains an “indispensable partner” to Europe.

The EU is China’s most important export market while China is EU’s second-largest export market, second only to the US, and the source of most export growth. Joerg Wuttke, president of the European Chamber in China, says he expects the country to account for over 30 per cent of global growth over the next decade.

He noted: “China is a huge opportunity, and we have to be here … We have more in common with the US, but we don’t choose a side.”

As we move into six months of German presidency of the EU Council, and with the world focused on managing the impacts of the pandemic recession, the EU and China seem set on a series of meetings aimed at improving ties. They will probably need to be virtual, which will no doubt underscore the pragmatic lovelessness of the courtship, but necessity may drive them forward.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (top left), president of the European Council Charles Michel (top right) and president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen take part in the 22nd China-European Union leaders’ meeting via video in Beijing on June 22. Photo: Xinhua

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