Europe’s biggest party set to take tougher line on China, push Taiwan investment deal

The European People’s Party lends support for investment agreement with Beijing, but calls for ban on goods made in ‘re-education camps’

Draft policy paper calls for Taipei to be invited to take part in WHO meetings

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The European People’s Party is set to adopt a hardline policy on China. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 11:55pm, 9 Mar 2021Updated: 12:20am, 10 Mar 2021

The biggest party in the European Parliament is set to adopt a hardline policy on China, including an investment treaty with Taiwan and a total ban on goods “produced in re-education camps”, according to a draft position document seen by the South China Morning Post.

The European People’s Party (EPP), an umbrella grouping that includes MEPs from Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, will debate the paper on Tuesday night, when it is expected to be adopted without serious opposition, party sources said.

“We support the launch of negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan,” said the EPP paper, details of which were first reported by Politico.

While it will have no direct bearing on the European Union’s policies on China – foreign policy is mostly driven by member states at the Council of the EU – the document will reinforce the parliament’s harsher approach to China in recent months, particularly on trade and investment.

The centre-right EPP holds 175 out of 705 seats in the legislature, 30 more than the second-biggest party, the Socialists and Democrats.

The paper calls for a start on Taiwan investment talks and for Taipei to be welcomed “to participate in WHO meetings, mechanisms and activities, particularly during the pandemic”. Previously, calls from countries such as Australia for Taiwan’s involvement in the WHO have angered Beijing.