IPAC STATEMENT ON THE 23rd EU-CHINA SUMMIT
The 23rd EU-China summit takes place as Russia continues its war of aggression in Ukraine, with the mass displacement of millions of Ukrainians, thousands of civilian deaths, terrible destruction through sweeping bombing campaigns, war crimes and other atrocities committed by the Russian military.
Against this background, we as members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), urge European leaders to take this opportunity to express in the strongest possible terms our criticism of the Chinese government’s failure to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, peddling Russian disinformation and laying the responsibility for Russia’s attack instead at the U.S.’ and NATO’s doorstep.
We note that in recent weeks the Chinese government has repeatedly acknowledged what it believes to be Russia’s “legitimate security interests” in Ukraine and abstained from a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia’s actions. The Chinese government has refused to join international sanctions on Russia and has instead given assurances that ‘normal trade’ with Russia is set to continue. The Russian and Chinese foreign ministers in their last meeting reiterated and emphasised their two countries’s cooperation “without limits”.
We therefore call upon President Charles Michel, President Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative Josep Borrell to make it clear to the Chinese government that such a stance of purported neutrality constitutes de facto support for the Russian government’s aggression in Ukraine. As it stands, the Chinese government’s inaction is only serving to prolong the humanitarian crisis and human suffering in Ukraine, and gives President Putin a carte blanche to escalate his barbaric acts.
As credible reports suggest that Russia is requesting economic and military support from China, the EU must make clear that any attempts to support Russia economically or militarily, or help in evading international sanctions, will be met with commensurate punitive economic sanctions against the Chinese government.
Finally, we hope that this Summit will be an opportunity to demonstrate to the Chinese government that we will resist all attempts to undermine European unity, be it through trade sanctions against Lithuania or sanctions against parliamentarians and academics.
Reinhard Bütikofer, Member of the European Parliament
Miriam Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament
Ann-Sofie Alm, Member of the Swedish Riksdag
Michael Brand, Member of the German Bundestag
Olivier Cadic, Member of the French Senate
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Member of the European Parliament
Ms. Frédérique Dumas, member of the French National Assembly
Uffe Elbæk, Member of the Danish Folketing
Engin Eroglu, Member of the European Parliament
Pavel Fischer, Member of the Czech Senate
Anna Fotyga, Member of the European Parliament
Anne Genetet, Member of the French National Assembly
David Lega, Member of the European Parliament
Michael McDowell, Member of the Irish Seanad
Erin McGreehan, Member of the Irish Seanad
Dovilė Šakalienė, Member of the Lithuanian Seimas
Michaela Šojdrová, Member of the European Parliament
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Member of the Dutch House of Representatives
Cătălin Teniță, Member of the Assembly Deputies of Romania
Emanuelis Zingeris, Member of the Lithuanian Seimas
