European Parliament to debate EU's China policy

  • 2023-04-17
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - The European Parliament will on April 18 discuss the European Union's (EU) response to the growing global challenges stemming from a more repressive and assertive China, the European Parliament's spokesman in Latvia, Janis Krastins, informed LETA.

Against the backdrop of China’s continued rise as a political and economic powerhouse on the world stage, the plenary debate is expected to zoom in on a broad range of issues linked to the EU’s relationship with Beijing.

Earlier in 2023, the EU Parliament reiterated its request for a renewed, comprehensive and coherent EU-China strategy, which should take into account the challenges originating from China’s rise as a global actor alongside its increasingly oppressive domestic policies and assertive foreign policy.

With China’s aggressive military posturing against Taiwan, MEPs have also repeatedly condemned Beijing’s actions and called for strengthened EU relations with Taipei. 

The EU Parliament has on several occasions called out China over its persecution of, and crimes committed against, the Uyghurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang region.