The leaders of China, Europe, Germany and France held video talks and announced the completion in principle of the China-EU Comprehensive Investment Agreement (CAI) on December 30. On the news, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger said the same day at a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition on China Policy (IPAC) that leaders of both parties and the entire U.S. government were baffled and alarmed that the EU was proceeding with a new investment agreement on the eve of the new U.S. administration taking office.
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron met by video Wednesday with Communist Party President Xi Jinping, and the Chinese and European leaders announced the completion of negotiations on a comprehensive investment agreement between China and Europe. After the meeting, von der Leyen wrote via Twitter, “The post-New Crown (CCP virus) epidemic world of the future needs a strong Europe-China relationship to build a better future. But this requires cooperation, reciprocity and trust – especially in our trade and investment relations. I am pleased to join President Mihir in an exchange with President Xi on this issue.” She said, “This agreement will safeguard our interests and promote our core values. It provides us with a lever to eliminate forced labor. We are engaging with China to protect our climate under the Paris Agreement; to promote rules-based multilateralism.”
On the same day, members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on China Policy, parliaments and members of parliament from the U.S., Britain, France and Germany, and members of the European Parliament met. U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Bomen said at the meeting that “leaders in both parties and throughout the U.S. government are baffled and alarmed that the EU is moving forward with a new investment agreement on the eve of a new U.S. administration taking office.” He said, “There is nowhere to hide from the bureaucrats in Brussels or Europe. We can no longer delude ourselves that Beijing is about to respect labor rights while it continues to build millions of square feet of factories in Xinjiang to be used for forced labor.”
Bomen said, “The European Commission has removed a fig leaf by rushing to cooperate with Beijing despite its ugly human rights abuses. Some European officials and commentators like to claim that the Trump administration is an obstacle to deeper transatlantic cooperation. It is now clear to everyone that this is not about President Trump. Rather, it’s about key European officials. Look in the mirror.” Earlier, Biden said in a speech on the 28th that “we are in a stronger position when we compete with China and hold the Chinese government accountable for its abuses in trade, technology, human rights and other areas, and when we build coalitions of like-minded partners and allies who will work with us to defend our shared interests and values.”
Biden emphasized that “on our own, we account for almost 25 percent of the global economy, but together with our democratic partners, we will more than double our economic influence.” Biden said, “On any issue that concerns the U.S.-China relationship – from pursuing a foreign policy that benefits the middle class, including a trade and economic agenda that protects American workers, our intellectual property and the environment, to ensuring the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, to advocating for human rights – we are stronger and more effective.” Biden’s national security adviser choice, Jake Sullivan, had tweeted on the 21st that he hoped for “early consultations with our European partners on our shared concerns about China’s economic practices.”
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