China, July 14
The President of the European Parliament concluded his 7 day visit to China by stating:
“China has woken up but there are no reasons to tremble. It is true that China is emerging as a world power and has one of the most impressive economic records in the world.
I visited China eighteen years ago and today it is an entirely new China. Not only one of the biggest trading partners of the world (the EU’s second biggest trading partner) with an amazing growth rate but also a country with increasing social disparities and inequalities. China is still a developing country with the same problems of an ageing population as Europe.
Strengthening the EU-China relationship and the need for an improved Strategic Partnership were at the core of all discussions with my Chinese interlocutors, and in particular with President Hu Jin Tao. China and the EU can help each other to face the consequences of globalisation. Beyond our political, geographical or cultural differences, Europe and China are facing similar challenges: ageing population, imperative of social cohesion, management of external and internal migration, energy dependence and protection of the environment.
This century could very well be China’s century: But it will depend on whether China can create a bigger domestic market and this requires redistribution of the fruits of their remarkable growth.
I also underlined the paradox of the future of capitalism being in the hands of the Communist Party and called for greater use of the Euro as a reserve currency for China. We also agreed on the need to act together multilaterally on the global stage.
I listened carefully to the Chinese authorities’ plan for political reform and emphasized the need for greater democracy and improvements in Human Rights. Some progress has been made. For instance, I welcomed the release of the cyber-dissident Hao Wu during my visit, a week after Parliament adopted a resolution on internet freedom referring to his case.
However, there is still a long way to go and I raised European Parliament concerns about remaining restrictions on the freedom of expression and called for the abolition of forced labour and the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
I also visited Tibet in the first days of my visit. I acknowledged the surprisingly positive economic development of the region and visited the new train station linking Lhasa to Beijing. On the surface, it seems as though religious freedom is respected. But I remain concerned by the Tibetan issue. I raised specific human rights cases (the Panchen Lama, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche). Despite reiterating the Dalai Lama’s wishes for a peaceful negotiated solution to the problem of Tibet, based on the principle of One China and within the framework of the Chinese Constitution, which the European Parliament fully supports, it seems that my interlocutors remain unconvinced of his sincerity.
