33 Amendments of Adrian SEVERIN related to 2012/2137(INI)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU-China strategic partnership is of great importance for relations between the EU and China, ands long as it supports a joint political planning, consistent with their common strategic goals, develops emergency response mechanisms for crisis and sets the two parties on a path towards a structured communication, consultation, coordination and cooperation on strategic issues; whereas this relationship is paramount for finding answers to global concerns, such as global security, nuclear non-proliferation and climate change;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. Whereas the harmonization between the EU and China in terms of values is the best guarantee and facilitator for their political cooperation and convergence, but whereas the approximation of values could be successfully achieved only after the approximation of the geostrategic interests and the achievement of the political and institutional interoperability allowing the enhancement of common strategic projects;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas China is undergoing a process of socio-economic transition from an extensive model of economic growth to a model aiming at regional and social equity and – above all – at maintaining stability; whereas China is profiling itself as one of the world's most important investors, finance providers and strategic infrastructure builders with local, regional and global relevance;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. Whereas the political, social and economic stability of China are strategically essential for the global security and stability, and therefore for the security and stability of the EU;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. Whereas the economic and political reforms adopted by China have dramatically diminished the capacity of its official ideology to coagulate the nation, while generating internal disparities in terms of economic and social wealth, which could lead to the political fragmentation of the nation; whereas the loss of the old factor of social cohesion associated with the new dangers of regional fragmentation could lead either to internal political and social instability or to the transformation of China into a nationalistic, internally oppressive and externally exclusive hard power;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. Whereas the EU is strategically interested in the internal coherence of China, in China's capacity to softly participate at the stabilization of the global equilibriums and in China's contribution to the EU development through trade and through providing labour without immigration;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
Be. Whereas the emergence of China as a soft global player within a multipolar balanced global order is beneficial for the sustainability of this order;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas China is a country that is passionate aboutthe EU - China cooperation in the field of science and technology is a matter of common interest; whereas China is a country constantly developing its innovation-based economy, positioning its national expenditure in R&D as second in the world; whereas a mere example of China's fruitful progress in the area of Science and Technology is the internet, with more than 500 million users;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the 21st century sees the impressive returnaise of China on the world scene as a superpower, on account of its ongoing rapidly growing economic and military power; whereas China has increasingly taken a more active, rational and positive world role that includes increased support for multilateralism within a global harmony; whereas such a policy has reassured other states, enhanced China's global role and increased its relative status;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas China provides a 'no strings attached' foreign assistance, since its commercial and aid for development deals do not impose conditions such as transparency, accountability, environmental standards or prevention of corruption; whereas imposing China to change this approach and to adopt the same conditionalities as the EU is a non- start;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
(b) Suggests that a strategic priority for the EU in relations with China is to drastically improve its own decision making mechanisms in order to be able to speak with one voice and to develop consistent and coherent initiatives and policies in relations with China;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
(c) Reiterates that EU - China relations would benefit more from a comprehensive strategic partnership rather than from a confrontational approach; emphasizes that the EU must take into account that differences in the political system and culture between the two are so substantial that their forced and artificially accelerated harmonization is out of the question; in order to promote both parties' global interests, a strategy of joint projects and institutional approximation implemented in the frame of mutual understanding and respect is to be preferred;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
(d) Mentions the complementarity, compatibility and convergence of EU- China strategic interests at a global level and considers that adequate instruments should be defined and regulated in order to manage a truly strategic relationship, in addition to the routine bilateral dialogues that deal with daily operational issues;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
(e) Believes that the EU should insist in establishing institutional interoperability with China to be put in service of the achievement of local, regional and global projects based on the solidarity of strategic interests;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 q (new)
Paragraph 1 q (new)
(q) Affirms that the EU must avoid policies, conditionalities and rhetoric which, if perceived as humiliating attempts to impose cultural values foreign to the traditions of China, might generate a nationalistic response;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 r (new)
Paragraph 1 r (new)
(r) Points out that the EU should plan and implement policies which are able to assist China in consolidating its economic, social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), approved by the National People's Congress in March 2012, which strongly intends to tackle the negative side effects of an unparalleled period of sustained high economic growth, such as acute environmental threats, regional imbalances, rising income inequality and continuing collective protests centred on social, economic and legal grievances; asserts that European capabilities and experiences can be of great value in sustaining and fostering innovation in China's economy; strongly supports China's development convinced that this would encourage China to embrace the model of soft universalistic, as opposed to nationalistic power;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
(b) Is of the opinion that the EU should immediately recognise China's functional market economy status, among others as a confirmation of and an encouragement for its outstanding contribution to global economic growth and its involvement in fighting the global economic and financial crisis, as well as a means for consolidating the mutual trust in their bilateral relations;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the popular legitimacy of the CCP, especially in view of its successful economic policy, but shares the criticism of independent Chinese scholased on the adaptation of market mechanisms to the Chinese cultural and social particularities. Notices the development of pluralism and functional mechanism of checks and balances within the CCP, generating perspectives towards and observers that this legitimacy is seriously threatened bypolitical compatibility and convergence between the European democracy and the Chinese model of societal organisation. In the view of assisting the CCP to overcome the threats against its increasing legitimacy (i.e. a ‘'red aristocracy’' of close family members of former and present party leaders who possess enormous fortunes owing to their political and economic connections, a grave situation which was recently laid bare by the Bo Xilai affair), the EU must strive to build a comprehensive structural dialogue and cooperation with Chinese political elites, focusing on regular exchange of views and political coordination regarding the establishment of a new international order based on democratic principles and able to achieve collective security, freedom, sustainable development and social justice;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
(a) Recognises that, following its historic and cultural Mandarin traditions, but also its demographic realities, China could democratise and become democratically interoperable with EU only through a process pursued from top to bottom, starting with a democracy of the elites; in this context emphasizes that it is of outmost importance for the EU - China relations to encourage and assist the democratisation of the Chinese Communist Party, among others by the development of a structured dialogue between its representatives and the European political families;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Looks forward to the speedyfurther implementation of the repeated calls for democratisation and political reforms inside the CCP by means of an open- minded newthe future party leadership; believes that only effective political reforms will curb the semi-independence of high-‑handed provincial, district and local party bosses, who badly damage the reputation of China's national leadership both internally and externally with their abuses of power, with particular reference to the very costly and endemic cases of corruption; EU must assist China in designing and implementing such reforms by jointly creating an appropriate global environment and by giving coordinated answers to the current global challenges;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
(a) Further mentions that the EU should do its utmost in order to support the central authorities of China to effectively exercise their political oversight against the centrifugal tendencies of the possible emerging local or regional economic and political oligarchs from the most developed areas of the country;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the increasing contacts between the PRC and Taiwan; notes China's strong wish for reunification with Taiwan; stresses that this political aim is still seriously undermined by Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan and China's international isolation of Taiwan; expects that China, Taiwan andon-going development in the collaboration between the PRC and Taiwan such as the newly discussed East China Sea Peace Initiative; notes China's strong wish for reunification with Taiwan; this goal must be achieved through peaceful means while observing the EU will respect the free choice of Taiwanesof the citizens oin the international status of their countryTaiwan and Mainland China;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
(b) Advocates that cooperation in preventing and managing future conflicts in highly sensible regions should be a core issue for both EU and China, as responsible, emerging global soft powers; welcomes China's positive involvement in maintaining stability in its surrounding areas; concludes that this kind of relation should be build on common interests rather than on differences when assessing their respective policies towards regions characterised by conflict; the EU-China strategic comprehensive partnership should be also conceived in the prospective of diminishing the differences in perceiving the geo-strategic opportunities, challenges and threats, thus allowing for similar, complementary or coordinated reactions;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 i (new)
Paragraph 8 i (new)
(i) Notes that the consolidation of China's security both internally in terms of individual, social and cultural security and externally in terms of international security will facilitate the democratic progress of power sharing in China, together with the freedoms and the human rights related to it; believes the EU should encourage, stimulate and support such a development beforehand, instead of rewarding it or of punishing the lack of progress afterwards;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recognises the enormous efforts made by the Chinese Government to develop Tibet and Xinjiang economically; urges the Chinese Government to act in a politically responsible way by respecting and protecting Tibetan and Uighur traditional cultures and lifestyles; believes that Beijing cannot win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan and Uighur peoplethno-cultural communities by way of millions of surveillance cameras or repressive police methods;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
(b) Recommends the European Council to launch a major review of its China's policy in order to establish priority areas where the strategy of the common projects could produce the best strategic results. In this context EU should encourage the European investments in the less developed areas of China while opening the European markets to the Chinese investors. Likewise, the EU should cooperate with China on third markets for the achievement of strategic projects of infrastructures with global relevance;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the PRC to use its regained global position in a responsible way by acting according to its own criteria of ‘'peaceful development’' and ‘'a harmonious world’';
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
(b) Takes account of the progress that China has made in the area of ICT and advanced weapons technology and thus discerns that the current EU arms embargo seems obsolete and even counterproductive in building a trust based relationship between EU and China; since, under these circumstances all the assessments of this embargo show that it actually has no political or security benefits, recommends its lifting;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
(d) Takes notice of the worries expressed during the Forum of Chinese-African Cooperation (FOCAC), and while recognizing the importance of China's investments in Africa, stresses the differences between the business oriented and well rounded Chinese approach, on one hand, and the values conditioned Western aid for development approach, on the other hand;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 e (new)
Paragraph 18 e (new)
(e) Is aware that the Chinese-African economic partnership is key in fuelling China's double digit growth, which is needed to maintain its political stability and therefore should be encouraged, while taking account of the said partnership's deficiencies; addressing the deficiencies raised during the FOCAC forum should be object of the EU-China structured dialogue and comprehensive strategic partnership, bearing in mind the African countries' needs for sustainable development as an asset for the global security, as well;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 f (new)
Paragraph 18 f (new)
(f) Asks for a EU initiative dedicated to the harmonization of the EU and China policies in the field of aid for development with the aim of establishing a minimal set of rules and principles to be observed by both parties when dealing with third countries on such issues;