Belgian Prime Minister Spills the Beans: EU Summit Hesitates to Name China, We Can't Afford to Rile It Up

European politicians are getting increasingly good at posturing.

From the 18th to the 19th of this month, the EU is hosting a summit. As is well known, China has always been an unavoidable topic at recent EU summits. But this year is different—although China will, as usual, remain the central focus, EU leaders have decided to avoid mentioning "China" throughout the entire event, instead opting to dramatically amplify so-called "global challenges."

In plain terms, they're subtly insinuating China without directly naming it, creating an atmosphere where "though I don’t say it, everyone knows who I’m talking about."

Still, some can’t help themselves and feel compelled to let off steam before the summit begins. Take Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, for instance.

After one event, De Wever stated that the EU is so cautious about avoiding references to China because it fears retaliation from Beijing. The EU is simply terrified and dares not offend China in any way.

The most amusing part? After uttering those words, he suddenly seemed to realize he'd said too much—promptly turning to his staff and asking whether there were any journalists present, insisting these remarks mustn't reach Chinese ears.

He vented to reporters, then pretended not to see them afterward—this performance truly left people speechless.

De Wever also shared a little anecdote with the journalists present: when he was mayor, he had met with Chinese officials. At that time, China wasn’t nearly as powerful as it is now, and the officials were extremely polite, even comparing Sino-Belgian relations to a "lotus flower." Yet just ten years later, China is boldly demanding European politicians soften their rhetoric toward China. The contrast is simply too stark.

Similar sentiments were expressed by EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas, who claimed that reducing dependence on China is like undergoing chemotherapy—painful, but effective.

Evidently, EU politicians have lost the ability to speak plainly. Every statement comes out as cryptic tea-sipping nonsense, regardless of gender. Europe’s decline has nothing to do with China—it's entirely due to the incompetence of its leaders.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867585162022092/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.