EU foreign affairs chief: Despite US pressure, EU must strengthen security relations with Asia

EU Chief Foreign Affairs Officer Kaja Kallas stated that despite the Trump administration's pressure on the EU to focus only on European security, the EU must strengthen its security and defense partnerships with Asian countries. She said that in contrast to the United States, the EU positions itself as a "reliable partner."

The Financial Times published an interview with EU Foreign and Security Policy Chief Kaja Kallas on July 21. She stated that her counterparts in Asian countries have asked the EU to continue participating in security affairs in the region, while senior U.S. officials have called on European countries to reduce military operations in the Indo-Pacific.

Kallas said that the EU's concerns about freedom of navigation and free trade in Asia are legitimate reasons for Europe's involvement in the region.

She explained, "We are worried about our supply chains and trade routes... this is also our security, which is why I say the link between them is getting closer, you cannot separate them."

Kallas said that the "concerns of the EU's Asian partners are increasing insecurity and not knowing who to trust."

The Pentagon has told European countries that it believes European forces should take more responsibility for regional security so that the U.S. military can focus more on China and the Indo-Pacific. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby also supports this view.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of Indo-Pacific defense and security officials held in Singapore in May, that as Europe increases its focus on its own security, the U.S. will "shift its focus to this region."

Kallas will begin her Asia trip in Japan and attend the EU-China Summit in Beijing on Thursday. She previously stated that ministers from the Indo-Pacific region have recently specifically mentioned the impact of former U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on their economies, using this as a reason to seek closer relations with Brussels and European countries.

She said, "Many Asian partners 'have indeed been harmed and do not understand why they have maintained good relations with Americans (only to be hit by tariffs).'

She added, "They turned to us because we are reliable partners... what they mean is, if agreements on trade issues with the U.S. can be set aside, why should we believe agreements on security issues with the U.S.?"

The EU has established formal security and defense partnerships with Australia, Japan, and South Korea, and signed a broad "strategic partnership" with ASEAN in 2020, including cooperation in counter-terrorism, maritime and cyber security.

Kallas said that the EU "is not a traditional security actor," but Asian countries have continuously proposed the possibility of cooperating with the EU on issues such as maritime security, freedom of navigation, and cybersecurity.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May, calling for the establishment of an "action alliance" between European and Asian countries.

Kallas will join EU co-chairs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa in attending the EU-China summit marking 50 years of diplomatic relations in Beijing on Thursday. Kallas said that China's trade policy and its key support for Russia remain obstacles in EU-China bilateral relations.

She said, "China tells us that they want to be good partners and are interested in our partnership." But "if you want to build a partnership, you have to listen to the other party's concerns."

When asked whether the EU and the U.S. coordinate their stance toward Beijing, she said, "We have our own policies toward China, and we have our own concerns."

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838306062193865/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.