L-Ewropa u ċ-Ċina

Is-suġġett diskuss waqt il-programm televiżiv sponsorjat mill-uffiċċju ta’ Alfred Sant bl-appoġġ tal-Grupp tas-S&D fil-Parlament Ewropew Temi Maltin u Ewropej matul dan ix-xahar kien “L-Ewropa u ċ-Ċina” bis-sehem tal-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant u s-Senior Lecturer fid-Dipartiment tar-Relazzjonijiet Internazzjonali fl-Università ta’ Malta, Dr Valentina Cassar. Temi Maltin u Ewropej huwa programm televiżiv ta’ informazzjoni u kummentarju. Il-produzzjoni ta’ dan il-programm hija f’idejn l-uffiċċju lokali tal-MPE Alfred Sant. Il-programm tnieda s-sena l-oħra bl-appoġġ tal-Grupp tas-Soċjalisti u Demokratiċi fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Dwar iċ-Ċina u l-Ewropa, ġie rikonoxxut li ż-żewġ blokki huma kkunsidrati bħala atturi globali ewlenin fil-komunità internazzjonali, u għandhom relazzjoni ekonomika u kummerċjali b’saħħitha ħafna. Madanakollu, jeżisti żbilanċ kummerċjali sinifikanti bejn it-tnejn favur iċ-Ċina li jagħmilha relazzjoni delikata għall-Ewropa. Għal dan il-għan, ġie enfasizzat li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea u l-Istati Membri Ewropej, jeħtieġ li jsibu aktar bilanċ u stabbiltà bejn dawn iż-żewġ blokki internazzjonali.

Dwar ir-relazzjoni attwali bejn l-Ewropa u ċ-Ċina ġie enfasizzat li hemm tħassib li l-entitajiet kummerċjali Ewropej se jitpoġġew fi żvantaġġ peress li s-suq Ċiniż mhuwiex trasparenti biżżejjed u hemm l-istat jintervjeni ħafna aktar fih milli jiġri fl-Ewropa. Huwa essenzjali aktar djalogu bejn iż-żewġ blokki biex tiġi indirizzata din il-kwistjoni għax iż-żewġ naħat jiddependu minn xulxin.

Waqt id-diskussjoni kien enfasizzat li aspett sensittiv tar-relazzjoni bejn l-Ewropa u ċ-Ċina huwa dak tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem. Fl-aħħar tletin sena, l-Ewropa u l-Istati Uniti ppruvaw jagħmlu pressjoni diretta fuq iċ-Ċina fir-rigward ta’ hekk. 

Fl-aħħar ħames snin l-Ewropa imponiet sanzjonijiet fuq iċ-Ċina u ċ-Ċina rreaġixxiet billi imponiet kontrosanzjonijiet fl-Ewropa. Fattur ieħor importanti f’dan kollu kien li l-Istati Uniti jqisu liċ-Ċina bħala pajjiż rival kbir tagħhom u l-Ewropa ma tistax tinjora l-linja li tieħu l-Istati Uniti fir-relazzjonijiet li tistabbilixxi maċ-Ċina, għax l-Istati Uniti jibqgħu l-alleat ewlieni tal-Ewropa. 

Fl-aħħar tal-programm, kien hemm qbil li waqt li fl-aħħar sena reġa’ żdied id-djalogu bejn l-Ewropa u ċ-Ċina, baqgħet il-ħtieġa li ż-żewġ naħat iridu jtejbu u jsostnu r-relazzjonijiet ta’ bejniethom għax jaqbel lit-tnejn.

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Europe and China

The topic on the agenda of the TV programme sponsored by Alfred Sant’s office with the support of the S&D Group in the European Parliament Temi Maltin u Ewropej during this month was “Europe and China” with the participation of former Prime Minister Alfred Sant and Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the University of Malta, Dr. Valentina Cassar. Temi Maltin u Ewropej is an information and commentary TV produced by Alfred Sant’s MEP Local office. It was launched last year with the support of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament.

On China and Europe, it was acknowledged that the two blocs are considered major global players in the international community, and have a very strong economic and commercial relationship. However, there exists is a significant trade imbalance between the two in favour of China which makes it a delicate relationship for Europe. To this end, it was emphasized that the European Commission and the European Member States need to find more balance and stability between these two international blocs.

On the current relationship between Europe and China, it was emphasized that there is concern that European commercial entities will be put at a disadvantage since the Chinese market is not transparent enough and China intervenes much more in the market than in the Europe. More dialogue between the two blocs is essential to address this issue because both sides depend on each other.

During the discussion it was emphasized that a sensitive aspect of the relationship between Europe and China is human rights. In the last thirty years, Europe and the United States have tried to exert direct pressure on China in this regard.

In the last five years Europe has imposed sanctions on China and China has reacted by imposing counter-sanctions in Europe. Another important factor is that the United States considers China as their great rival country and Europe cannot ignore the way forward that United States takes in the relations it establishes with China, because the United States remains Europe’s main ally.

At the end of the programme, it was agreed that while in the last year there was again more dialogue between Europe and China, the need has remained for both sides to improve and sustain their relations because this is favourable for both sides.