US-EU dialogue on China expected to end with ‘robust’ joint statement
- A State Department official says Washington and Brussels have increasingly converged in their views on the rising power since May
- The second high-level meeting on Thursday is set to focus on areas for cooperation in US and EU policies on China
A “robust” joint statement is expected to follow the second US-EU dialogue on China on Thursday, according to a senior US State Department official.
Deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman and Stefano Sannino, secretary general of the European External Action Service, will co-chair the meeting on Thursday and high-level consultations on the Indo-Pacific on Friday.
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The official said Thursday’s meeting would focus on areas for cooperation in the US and EU policies on China, including economic and technology issues, human rights, multilateralism, disinformation, security and how to pursue “results-oriented cooperation” with Beijing in areas where interests align.
“We expect the statement to be robust and cover a range of topics far broader and more detailed than the first joint statement released in May,” the official said.
“This reflects the increasingly convergent US and EU outlook on [China] and its increasingly concerning behaviour. And it demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to rebuild our alliances and partnerships as we compete with the PRC.”
The official said Taiwan was also expected to be a topic for discussion amid its plans to open a representative office in the capital of EU member state Lithuania, something that has angered Beijing, which claims the self-governing island as its own.
Speaking at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged “the relevant parties to abandon their Cold War mentality” and instead “inject more stability and positive energies into the world”.
“Drawing lines along ideology or seeking cliques does not benefit world peace and stability,” he said. “It hurts others and hurts oneself.”
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
