Activities of Jo LEINEN related to 2015/2003(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU-China relations (debate) DE
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on EU-China relations PDF (189 KB) DOC (138 KB)
Amendments (46)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8
Citation 8
– having regard to the 167th EU-China Summit, which took place in Beijing on 21 Novemberrussels on 29 June 20135, and to the joint press communiquésummit declaration issued at the conclusion thereof,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20
Citation 20
– having regard to the EU-China Partnership on Climate Change agreed, and the Joint DeclarationJoint Statement on Climate Change issued, at the 817th EU-China Summit in SeptemberJune 20015,
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas President Xi Jinping launched the ‘Chinese Dream’ initiative, which is aimed at revitalising the Chinese nation inside and outside the PRC by strengthening the power monopoly of the CPC, re- ideologising the party, the state and society and increasing the authority of the party leaderand at China becoming a fully developed nation by 2049;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas environmental degradation in China has taken dramatic proportions and requian even mores powerful and targeted government action is necessary;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the Chinese Government acknowledges the importance and even the universality of human rights, but preferlacks to present this aangible results ain aspiration rather than a binding norm for the presentimproving its human rights record;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas the CPC recognises five religions, which are ultimately controlled by the party’s own United Front Work Department; whereas this list is exclusive and other religions and cults are therefore being discriminated;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
Recital R
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the EU and China as a source of inspiration to strengthen the Strategic Partnership and to speed up the ongoing negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the outcome of the 17th EU-China Summit held in Brussels on 29th June 2015 lifting the bilateral relations to a new level and giving a signal for closer political cooperation going beyond mere trade relations and towards a coordinated approach to tackling global challenges;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls for enhanced coordination between the EU and China in areas such as G20, security and defence, terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation, urbanisation, development and aid programmes, sustainable development; emphasises the importance of cooperation in the field of regional development, and of dialogue and exchanges with regard to the Europe 2020 Strategy and the forthcoming China’s thirteenth Five-Year Plan;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Believes that cooperation and coordination between the EU and China are essential to have concrete results in the fight against climate change; considers the EU-China Statement on Climate Change agreed after the 2015 summit a milestone towards a binding climate agreement at the UN Climate Conference in Paris (COP21); urges all parties to the conference to build on the momentum built by the EU-China and US-China climate change statements;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Welcomes the fact that during the last decades a considerable number of Chinese citizens have been lifted out of extreme poverty due to substantial economic growth and a gradual opening of the Chinese economy; voices nonetheless its concern that these economic improvements often cause environmental problems and great inequalities;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the need for EU Member States to speak with one voice to the Chinese Government, particularly in view of Beijing’s present diplomatic dynamism; deplorbelieves the lack of profound debate and close coordination at EU level regarding Member States’ membership of the AIIBestablishment of the AIIB and of the so-called ‘New Silk Road’ are important initiatives for further developing the bilateral cooperation and economic development of the EU and China;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Expresses its concern that the EU institutions are lacking a coordinated response and approach towards the initiatives started by the Chinese Government to build up new multilateral institutions;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Welcomes a number of positive developments in Chinese human rights policy, including more openness in the framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Welcomes the participation of several Member States in the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB); Deplores nonetheless the lack of profound debate and close coordination at EU level in reaction to this initiative; urges the European institutions and Member States to see this as a wake-up call in order to avoid a similar lack of coordination in the future;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2d. Expresses its concern that the building up of alternative multilateral institutions under Chinese leadership shows a lack of inclusion, cooperation, and legitimacy within existing multilateral institutions; calls on those institutions and their members to actively pursue reform processes in order to strengthen their legitimacy and effectiveness; urges the European institutions and Member States to play a leading role in those processes;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 e (new)
Paragraph 2 e (new)
2e. Welcomes the common statement agreed at the 7th EU-China Summit to build up a connectivity platform as a true common project and considers this as a model for coming cooperation initiatives; particularly commends the EU’s readiness to start this project on the European level; urges both parties to seize the opportunities given by closely interconnecting both partners;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 f (new)
Paragraph 2 f (new)
2f. Recognises the opportunities arising from Chinese investment in Europe in the framework of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI); underlines that the Fund is open to investment by a number of actors but that it should nonetheless that remain under EU governance;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2g. Emphasises the importance of the Bilateral Investment Agreement between the EU and China currently under negotiation; points out at the necessity to advance and conclude such negotiations, in order to allow for a substantial increase in reciprocal investments and to benefit the two economies;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the Chinese interest in strategic infrastructure investments in Europe; concludes, with regard to Beijing's demand for ISDS procedures as an essential element of a BIT, that Brusselsthe European Union should reciprocally demand that provisions be included in the BIT that guarantee better access for and fairer treatment of EU companies on the Chinese market;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Strongly supports "one country, two systems" as a basis for good relations between the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao and Mainland China.
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Expresses its concern in regard to the current financial crisis that is striking China and especially its stock markets and recognizes that this poses a threat to the global economy; urges the Chinese authorities to tackle the challenge of transitioning the current economic model to a sustainable economy;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recognizes the standards concerning the rule of law, independence of the judicial system, respect of human rights and the freedom of speech as well as press freedom that have been the norm in Hong Kong for the last decades; expresses its support for those standards to be maintained in the future.
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. deplores that the reform of the electoral law for the appointment of the Chief Executive in Hong Kong could not be brought to an end; expresses its hope that a new reform process can be started in the near future with the aim of giving the people of Hong Kong the right to universal suffrage with a genuine choice amongst diverse candidates; calls on the Chinese Government to play a constructive role in the electoral reform process.
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that President Xi Jinping is trying to give a new attractive face to Chinese politics through an attitude of openness and to impress world leaders by projecting both accessibility and powerful self- confidence; points out, however, that President Xi is not the new attractive face of Chinese politics for the country'under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government is showing a growing assertiveness both internally and externally; points out, however, that this new assertiveness is often accompanied by a repression wave towards civil rights activists, lawyers, journalists, bloggers and academics, who find their freedom curbed in a way not seen since decades;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. ObservesExpresses its concern that, although the targets of the anti-corruption campaign extend tolaunched by the Chighest political level, these seem to be limited to the allies of President Xi's main rivals in the CPC; considers that this fierce ongoing anti-corruption campaign is, at the same time, serving to win back popular trust in the CPC, to discipline bureaucracy and to eliminate rivals insidenese leadership is a commendable effort to foster citizens' trust in the government, it is characterized by a lack of transparency and in most cases not following the rule of law; observes that in some cases, the campaign is being misused for internal fights and to foster the role and power of the CPC;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the urgency of further environmental protection measures, bearing in mind, for example, that in 2014 only eight out of 74 major cities reached the national standard of PM 2.5 air pollution concentrations; warns that the double water crisis (massive pollution combined with increased water usage) could cause major political and social instability; welcomes the fact that under the new environmental protection law local cadres are accountable, also retroactively, for environmental damage caused during their tenure;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Observes that in recent years China's anti-terrorism policy has evolved rapidly from a somewhat reactive ‘defence against terror' approach to a proactive ‘war on terror', along with permanent ‘crisis management' entailing action to an unprecedented extent in affected regions and in society;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Deplores the marginalisation of Uighur culture in Xinjiang, including forbidding Uighur civil servants to visit mosques and in some places to observe Ramadan;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes the priority given by President Xi's presidency to the relationship with the US, given his proposal for a ‘new type of major power relationship' between China and the US; stresses that, if this view is perceived as a code word for dividing the Pacific into two spheres of influence, other countries in the region will be greatly concernedcalls on the EU to be more active in Asia, and to cooperate with China and the US for more stability in the region;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises that the recent White Paper on China's military strategy highlights Beijing's intentions to further expand the Chinese navy and extend the range of its operations, shifting from ‘offshore waters defence' to ‘open seas protection'; expects this to increase the currentcalls for a balanced attitude to avoid worries of China's neighbours, to create and more tensions in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, and to endangerguarantee Europe's crucial interest in freedom of navigation on the seas;
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Welcomes the cooperation between the EU and China on security and defence, including the anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and calls for further combined efforts to tackle global security and defence issues, such as terrorism;
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Underlines the importance of mutual trust and cooperation between China and the EU and the other key international actors to tackle global security issues; hopes that China will offer its support to the EU and US-led initiatives aiming at ending the breaches of international law causing the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and at restoring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine after Russia's aggression;
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Urges the European Union to continue pressing for an improvement of the Human Rights situation in China whenever dialogues are held at any level and to include Human Rights clauses in any bilateral treaty agreed with China;
Amendment 439 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Protests against the marginalisation of Tibetan culture by the CPC and urges the Chinese authorities to respect the freedom of expression, association and religion of the Tibetan people; urges the Chinese government to re-enter into a dialogue with Tibetan representatives;
Amendment 454 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Urges European companies investing in China to respect international labour standards and to make commitments to go beyond Chinese labour rights, if these do not meet internationally agreed standards;
Amendment 470 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 478 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Deplores the fact that there are still 1500 long-range missiles aimed at Taiwan from southern China;
Amendment 482 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Commends the acceptance by the Chinese government of Taiwan's participation in some UN organisations (WHO, ICAO) and expresses its hope that China will continue in this pragmatic and flexible approach towards Taiwan's involvement in international organisations;
Amendment 483 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Expresses its concern at the Chinese government's reaffirmation of the 2005 Anti-Secession Law that allows for the use of military means in the case of a declaration of independence by Taiwan;