EP Always Picks on China with Cynical Remarks

People's Daily, May 9, 2002

Although the Cold War had concluded long ago, some members of the European Parliament (EP), however, have far from having given up their "Cold War mentality"; some of them are prone to making a big noise about so-called "Tibet issue," the "Taiwan issue" and the "human rights issue" of China in order to please the public with claptrap; of course, there is no lack of EP members who are more objective and are friendly toward China, but currently under the strong pressure of Western opinion, they often dare not speak out boldly in defense of justice, for fear of inviting trouble.

It is a commonplace matter in recent years that the European Parliament is prone to finding fault with China. On March 14, the EP passed a resolution, asking the Commission and members of European Union (EU) to support Taiwan to "join" as observer the World Health Organization (WHO). On April 11, while discussing and adopting the EU Commission's strategic document concerning development of relations with China, the European Parliament played the same old trick again. Although the resolution includes positive content of favoring development of ties with China, it, however, adds the opinions regarding so-called issues such as Taiwan and Tibet, which really gladdened Taiwan authorities for a while. Although EP's resolution has no legal binding force on the formulation of EU foreign policies, spokespersons of Chinese Foreign Ministry and the relevant department of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) respectively spoke about and expressed regret over the EP move, indicating China's just stand on its internal affairs that brook no interference.

EP's High Anti-China Tone

The European Parliament has in recent years passed many resolutions concerning China, involving so-called Tibet issue, the Taiwan issue and the human rights issue of China. Moreover, respectively in 1988 and 2001, the EP twice invited the Dalai Lama to meet with journalists and deliver speeches at the European Parliament, providing him with a platform for his acts of splitting the motherland. Last year the EP also attempted to invite Chen Shui-bian to receive some sort of "freedom medal", it was only due to France's insistent refusal to issue visa that made Chen's Strasbourg trip impossible to realize. In short, with regard to developing relations with China, the EP is often out of tune with the EU Commission and the European Council (EC), the EP often created some resolutions unfriendly to China and even put pressure on the EU Commission.

There are many reasons explaining why the EP acts this way.

Firstly, speaking in terms of major things, although the Cold War had concluded, many Western politicians have far from having given up their "Cold War mentality", on the contrary, they have intensified their opposition to a socialist country like China which persists in following its own road. They therefore invariably pick fault with China, measuring and treating everything of China by "double standards" and with "colored spectacles".

Secondly, the current human rights question is one of the disputing "hot issues" between the South and the North, it is all the more a trendy topic of Western politicians. Some European parliament members make a big fuss about "human rights" in order to please the public with claptrap, and China thus becomes their "natural target" of attack.

Thirdly, although there is no lack of parliament members who are more objective or friendly to China, under the current strong pressure of Western opinion, however, they often dare not speak out boldly in defense of justice for fear of inviting trouble. As a result, the voice for friendship with China is weak in the European Parliament, and thus cannot amount to anything. Conversely, a handful of parliament members who have a prejudice against and stubbornly oppose China act wantonly, have great energy and engage in active activities, they incessantly establish ties, bluff and bluster in the European Parliament, they thus become the evil initiators of various anti-China motions. In addition, the various pieces of information about China, which are available in the European Parliament (including many Western countries) come mainly from overseas separatist forces and non-governmental organizations as well as Western media. Most of these bits of information are one-sided, negative and even confounding black and white, these parliament members can hardly have an objective and comprehensive understanding of China. In addition, the Dalai clique and Taiwan authorities have all along regarded the European Parliament as a major object to be drawn over to their side, besides, abetted by the key anti-China members in the parliament, the European Parliament has thus often made some anti-China resolutions on the "Tibet issue" and the "Taiwan issue". The EP also allowed some "East Turkistan" elements to hold "East Turkistan"-related seminars in the parliament house, providing them with a place to carry out anti-China activities.

Dupuis-the EP Anti-China Vanguard

We should say there are not many EP members who take an intransigent attitude toward China, but they have great capacity and belong respectively to different political parties and other organizations in the parliament, they coordinate with each other and ally with some non-governmental organizations to raise an anti-China hubbub. The most energetic anti-China element of whom is Olivier Dupuis without party affiliation.

Dupuis is a Belgian. This fellow, radical and bigoted, is the vanguard of the anti-China forces in the European Parliament. His prejudice against China has almost made him a hysterical mania. When he saw persons opposing the Chinese government, he was particularly excited, regarding them as "comrades-in-arms in the same trench". But when he met with personages friendly to China, he spoke ill of them regardless of his capacity as EP member. He has a very poor relationship with other people, even some EP members also have veiled criticism of him. A senior Spanish parliament member told this correspondent how he once engaged Dupuis. Dupuis styles himself as a "human rights defender" in the European Parliament, he taunted the said parliament member with lacking courage to step forward to defend "human rights", he did not expect that the parliament member was once a veteran fighter against Spanish Franco's dictatorship and had been put into prison for fighting for human rights. The parliament member said to Dupuis bluntly, "Before you have gotten the experience of being put behind prison bar, you're not qualified to talk with me about human rights." These words made Dupuis feel snubbed, and the two men had since ceased contacting each other.

Dupuis' unreasonable and stubborn anti-China stand is crystal clear from one event. Chinese diplomats often invited some EP members as guests to the Chinese embassy, and Dupuis once also came.

At the time of departure after the evening banquet, Dupuis, ignoring the minimal diplomatic protocol, said to Chinese diplomats, "You've invited me to a banquet today, though, as long as you Communist Party members do not fall, I'll fight against you that long."

Out of his deep-rooted anti-China consciousness, Dupuis gives unstinting support to the elements of overseas "independence for Tibet", "independence for Xinjiang", “democratic movement" or "Falun Gong" cultists. Taking advantage of his capacity as EP member, he organized various discussion meetings aimed to split and vilify China, and prepare anti-China motions. He also participated in demonstrations staged by anti-China forces, backing and bolstering up forces hostile to China. Once at a supporting-"Tibet independence" meeting held by the European Parliament, this correspondent saw Dupuis cordially greet the supporting-"Tibet independence" organization members from Eastern and Western Europe, and they conveyed regards to each other, making them appear to be old acquaintances. It is clear how deep has Dupuis got himself involved in the European anti-China organization.

Resolutions Many, Role Limited

The EP often passed anti-China proposals, but how much do they affect the formulation of EU policies? An official from the EU Commission once told this correspondent that the EP members have the right to voice their opinions, the EP represents the various forces of the European political arena, the EU Commission and the EC, as the responsible agencies, however, cannot act at the impulse of motion when formulating policies, instead, they should take the political and economic benefits of the EU into full account.

In the opinion of this correspondent, with regard to developing relations with China, it appears to be too absolute to say that relevant EP resolutions have no influence, but it is quite appropriate to say that there is not much influence on the formulation of EU Commission and EC policies.

For many years, the EP has all along been applying pressure on the EU Commission and the EC, and has attempted to adopt an intransigent attitude toward China on such questions as human rights, nevertheless, the EU Commission and the EC still take a positive attitude toward developing relationship with China. China-Europe bilateral dialogs on human rights have proceeded smoothly, and the development of bilateral ties has been vigorous and fruitful.

Knowing the procedures of the passage of EP resolutions maybe of help tojudging the value of its resolutions. Many of EP resolutions went through the process: initiated by several parliament members, voted at the general meeting after discussion by relevant committees. Except for major issues, at the time of voting on the resolutions, quite a few parliament members were often absent, many past resolutions concerning China came out this way.

We would say these resolutions only reflect the political inclination of some parliament members rather than say they are resolutions of the European Parliament. As regards whether these politicians' words and deeds should be taken as important, different people have different opinions. Western politicians, always unwilling to be left in the cold, have risen to make trouble. After one understands this characteristic, one need not take their stands and words as something important.