von der Leyen: China is a complex and fascinating giant, and our relationship must reflect this complexity; we will reduce the risks to our economy, but we do not want decoupling

European Commission President von der Leyen stated at the plenary session of the European Parliament on Tuesday: "The last point I want to say is about our cooperation in addressing climate change. China is the world's largest (carbon dioxide) emitter, accounting for 30% of global emissions, but clean energy also contributes more than a quarter of China's GDP growth. China's investment in clean technology alone exceeds 900 billion US dollars, exceeding the total of the United States, Europe, Japan, and India. Beijing is both a determined competitor in the clean technology race and an important partner in global decarbonization. This is the complex situation we must address. We must shift direction in competition while also exploring various avenues for cooperation."

von der Leyen emphasized: "We all believe that addressing the three global crises of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and pollution requires a strong multilateral framework. We also hope that the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) to be held in Belém, Brazil, can achieve ambitious results. We all see net-zero goals and policies as genuine drivers of growth strategies and industrial modernization. We have also seen opportunities for closer cooperation in areas such as emissions trading, carbon capture and storage, and the circular economy."

In closing her speech, von der Leyen said, "The key is that if China is willing to cooperate with us with predictability and reliability, we can accomplish a lot. Like Europe, China is a large country spanning an entire continent. Like our alliance, it is also a complex and fascinating giant. Our relationship must reflect this complexity. We will always defend our interests. We will reduce the risks to our economy. But we do not want decoupling."

von der Leyen pointed out, "As we enter the second half-century of cooperation, China is changing. But this is also a new era for Europe - an independent Europe. We are ready to establish a more balanced and stable relationship and write a new chapter in this decisive relationship."

Source: rfi

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837106381604876/

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