ExclusiveChina should avoid moves seen as ‘trying to split Europe’, former European Commission chief says

Romano Prodi singles out Beijing-led ‘16+1’ platform, saying it isn’t in the country’s interest to create division

He also calls on EU to build a ‘shared decision-making process’ with China for projects under the Belt and Road Initiative

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Romano Prodi was European Commission president from 1999 to 2004. He said European nations could work with China in the areas of education and health. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 10:00pm, 12 Jul 2019Updated: 11:09pm, 12 Jul 2019

China should avoid diplomatic moves that could be seen as dividing Europe, as it would not be in Beijing’s long-term interest, former European Commission president Romano Prodi says.

In a wide-ranging interview this week, Prodi also called on the European Union to build what he described as a “shared decision-making process” with China for projects under the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative.

Highlighting the need for China to respect Europe’s unity, Prodi singled out another initiative, the “16+1” platform, which Beijing has used to deal directly with a group of Central and Eastern European nations, providing financial support to both its EU and non-EU members.

“I’m worried about the 16+1 [platform], not because China must not have a special interest for some countries – even more so for the eastern part of Europe because it’s closer to China in some ways – but why institutionalise it?” said Prodi, a two-time Italian prime minister.

Prodi added that the 16+1 grouping gave “a message that in some ways … [China is] trying to split Europe. I think it’s not a long-term Chinese interest to split Europe”.

European powers have been reluctant to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: Bloomberg

Western Europe has viewed the China-led platform with scepticism, though the EU has been accused by some Eastern European countries of not doing enough to boost their economies.