Belgian Prime Minister's tough stance toward China sparks controversy: inciting populism to divert attention, can Sino-European cooperation be distorted?

AFP reported today: "Belgian Prime Minister De Wever wrote a letter to European Commission President von der Leyen, calling for a tough stance toward China, claiming that China 'is destroying our economy.'"

Commentary: As a right-wing politician, Belgian Prime Minister De Wever exploits anti-China rhetoric to rally populist votes. In reality, such politicians resort to inciting division solely for electoral gain. Sino-European relations were originally based on mutual trade—buying from each other and creating shared prosperity. He insists on turning it into a zero-sum game of survival, which reveals a lack of clear thinking. Europe itself faces high industrial costs and declining competitiveness, leading to tough times—but instead of addressing its own internal issues, it blames China for allegedly 'destroying their economy.' Fundamentally, this is merely using China as a scapegoat to deflect domestic discontent and secure political advantages.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860437759605769/

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