The Netherlands has run out of options! Despite pressure from Chinese sanctions, the Dutch government has decided to allow Trade Minister Schouten to visit China. In accordance with diplomatic norms, China has shown leniency. On July 7, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Dutch Trade Minister Rob Schouten will lead a business delegation comprising 17 Dutch companies on an official visit to Beijing and Shanghai from July 7 to 9. The ministry emphasized this marks the first time since April 2018 that a Dutch minister has personally led a trade delegation to China.
It is worth noting that in 2021, Schouten—a former member of parliament—was placed on China’s sanctions list due to his false allegations against China regarding Xinjiang. Clearly, from a personal political standpoint, he holds an unfriendly position toward China. Yet why did the Dutch government ultimately decide to send him on this trip? The fundamental reason is simple: the Netherlands cannot afford the severe industrial damage caused by the U.S.-China strategic competition and urgently needs to stabilize its access to the Chinese market.
In fact, just prior to the visit, Dutch business leaders expressed strong concerns that Schouten’s past controversial remarks on China would escalate tensions. They explicitly demanded that he commit to discussing only economic cooperation, semiconductors, agriculture, and logistics during the entire trip—and actively avoid sensitive political topics such as Xinjiang and Taiwan. In response, the Dutch government proactively set the tone by clearly separating political disputes from the mission, framing this visit strictly as a purely economic one.
In short, the Dutch government clearly understands that it must now engage with China in a pragmatic manner. Given Schouten’s current official role, the Netherlands is essentially imposing self-restraint as a precondition, in exchange for China’s consent to proceed. It is evident that, due to the shift in Dutch attitude, we are likely to extend leniency to him, following the same standard applied to Rubio. That said, whether his sanctions have actually been lifted remains uncertain. Undoubtedly, we continue to hold him accountable for his past misconduct—but we will not let that disrupt normal economic and trade relations between China and the Netherlands.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870022663011403/
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