European Parliament member Claire Daly was interviewed by the Global Times: The hostility toward China is carefully planned
In 2021, China-EU relations are shrouded in a lingering shadow. The EU follows the US sanctions against Chinese officials and entities, the European Parliament freezes discussions on the ratification of the China-EU Investment Agreement, the European Parliament adopts the so-called "EU-Taiwan Political Relations and Cooperation" report... This series of events has made the outside world ask: Has China-EU relations reached a crossroads? The "old knots" have not yet been solved, and Lithuania, which insists on setting up a "representative office" in the name of "Taiwan," has repeatedly tried to tie its mistakes to Sino-European relations. Under the constant clamor of Lithuania, an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers last week talked about the so-called "coercive" behavior of the Chinese side. In this year when Sino-European relations have experienced a low ebb, there is an EU institution with a high "appearance rate" - the European Parliament, which is considered to be one of the main sources of anti-China sentiment in Europe, but this does not mean that the institution does not have a rational voice against China. One of the representatives of reason is Clare Daly, an Irish member of the European Parliament, a member of Ireland's "Independent Changemakers", whose purpose is to pursue social equality and oppose neoliberalism. In an exclusive interview with the Global Times reporter, Daly repeatedly stressed that it is hypocritical to accuse members of the European Parliament of Chinese rights issues - they do not really care about human rights issues, but just want to gain geopolitical benefits.
CLAIRE Daly, MP for the European Parliament
Hostility toward China is carefully planned
GLOBAL TIMES: Has the European Parliament formed an anti-China sentiment or force? Where do they come from?
DALY: In a way, this hostility toward China is orchestrated. A lot of MPs in the European Parliament may not be aware of this, but I think that's the way it is.
The anti-China forces in the European Parliament come mainly from two sources. First, many U.S. think tanks, U.S. billionaire-funded foundations, NATO-funded organizations, etc., operating in Europe, have launched a joint campaign that often blames China under the agenda of the European Parliament. The United States sees China as a threat to its economic interests and world hegemony (which also affects the EU's attitude toward China), just as the deterioration of relations between the United States and Russia has put pressure on the European Union, so the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project cooperated by European companies with Russia has become a "victim".
On the other hand, the EU is also trying to strengthen its influence. As a result, when some think tanks, foundations, etc. continue to provide information about the so-called "human rights violations in China", many Members of the European Parliament put the issue at the center of the stage (trying to highlight the influence of the European Union).
But in reality, these accusations run counter to reality. Nor do I think these MEMBERS of the European Parliament really care about human rights – they don't care about human rights in Europe, and I don't understand why they are concerned about human rights in China. Moreover, China is one of our largest trading partners.
Global Times: Are you under tremendous pressure or even frequent attacks in the European Parliament because of your stance on China?
Daly: There is no difference between my attitude towards China and my attitude towards any other country. The starting point for all my positions is to oppose the use of double standards by the EU in its dealings with third countries.
For example, the European Parliament has discussed the increase in China's military spending. To be honest, I don't want to see an increase in China's defense investment because I'm a pacifist. But what I must say in the European Parliament is that China's military spending accounts for only a small fraction of the U.S. military spending, even less than that of Western European countries. So it's hypocritical for us to talk about China's military expansion.
I just insist on looking at things by the same standard and demanding respect for international law. But many people have labeled me "China's apologists" for this, and they call people like us "panda huggers." Such claims are actually aimed at "racial discrimination" in China. In an institution like the European Union, which discusses democracy and anti-racism on a daily basis, this discrimination against China is becoming more and more serious, even more accepted by political circles and society.
Many members of the European Parliament are not originally anti-China, but if others often repeat the so-called "huge and evil China" and other arguments, it will naturally penetrate into people's consciousness, especially when the media is also playing the role of the driving force of such arguments.
The Taiwan issue "is not our business"
Global Times: Some countries and their politicians have recently frequently clamored for a "boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics".
DALY: I think it's ridiculous. Some members of the European Parliament may join the "boycott", but some will ignore the clamor and want to go to China for the Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to go to China this time, and due to the epidemic, not many people can go.
I believe that the "boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics" has been thoroughly "instrumentalized" and has become part of the "acceptable racism" against China. It's often seen in the media that it's hard to see in the past, and I think it's pretty scary.
Human rights should be protected everywhere, but china is singled out for geopolitical reasons. This is an opportunistic approach that would actually weaken our ability to truly protect human rights. One example is that while many politicians criticize the Chinese situation, they turn a blind eye to human rights violations within their own countries and in border areas. Many Europeans may not know that there are many migrants and refugees trying to come to Europe who are desperately disenfranchised, some locked up, some frozen to death in border areas. I believe that there may be human rights issues in China, but I must start with my own yard – first pay attention to the human rights violations in Europe, because here I am more capable of doing something to change the status quo.
The Beijing Winter Olympics have become a "gripper" for some, once again showing that racism is spreading in Europe, a place that most people think is democratic, inclusive and anti-racism.
GLOBAL TIMES: In the past year, a number of members of the European Parliament have visited Taiwan, and Lithuania has challenged Beijing's bottom line on the Taiwan issue. What do you think of the motivation behind these moves? As far as you know, is there a Taiwanese lobby group behind this?
Daly: I don't know if there are lobby groups from Taiwan behind these moves, but I think that some of the agencies that lobby for "Taiwan independence" have always existed and continue to operate, even though the vast majority of countries in the world recognize the one-China principle.
In my opinion, what is interesting is the question of timing: Why are these parliamentarians or individual countries suddenly so interested in Taiwan? If it's not that they're incredibly stupid, it's that they're trying to humiliate Chinese mainland in this way. These people are not really concerned about human rights issues on the mainland or in Taiwan or anywhere else, and they hope to gain geopolitical benefits through them.
In this process, I think the most hypocritical and "double-standard" thing is that the European Parliament is committed to focusing on Taiwan, a committee dedicated to foreign interference in EU affairs, while they are now interfering in the internal affairs of another country. Another ironic example is when the Catalans of Spain, one of the EU member states, held an independence referendum, the EU said "this is Spain's own business, it has nothing to do with us". In the blink of an eye, they said that the distant issue of Taiwan had caused them "great concerns." In my opinion, the Taiwan issue should be decided by the Chinese mainland and the people of Taiwan, and this is not our business.
Global Times: Lithuania has been seeking the EU to "stand with it" on the Issue of Taiwan. Do you think the EU should take a unanimous stand on this matter to support Lithuania?
DALY: I don't think the EU should have a holistic policy on this. Diplomatic relations between countries and China should be based on a bilateral basis. The Lithuanian people have the right to support or correct their Government's position on China. As far as I know, many Lithuanian businesses and individuals are not satisfied with what the government has done against the government because of the negative impact on lithuanian trade with China and relations between the two countries.
GLOBAL TIMES: The EU now seems to see China as a competitor, an adversary, and even a threat. Do you agree with this positioning?
DALY: I don't agree, but the truth is that the EU's attitude towards China tends to be that way. As I've said before, it's the product of two factors: U.S. hostility toward China is instilled in the EU; the EU itself aspires to be a "superpower."
But such a "China positioning" actually makes no sense. Global issues such as climate change can only be addressed diplomatically and through mutual cooperation and mutual support. Conflicts with other countries should be resolved through dialogue on an equal footing. Moreover, I don't see China as a "threat" at all.
The world economy is more closely linked than ever, making it impossible for a "new cold war" to really happen. The EU has very close trade ties with China and is also very dependent on China for key raw materials. If the EU is to develop a renewable energy policy, it must work with China.
"My thinking is the same as the people of Europe"
GLOBAL TIMES: We have noticed that you have been speaking out about the Assange case. What do you think Assange's plight says? What is the prevailing view of the case in European society now?
DALY: Public opinion in Europe is worse than in the United States. We have seen many American media questioning the prosecution of Assange, but the mainstream media in Europe have not reached such a consensus, and some media have even demonized Assange, focusing on his personality and other things that have nothing to do with the case. They ignore the essence of the problem — Assange exposed U.S. war crimes.
GLOBAL TIMES: You call yourself a "socialist." As a "socialist", will your path to politics in Europe be difficult and lonely? Does Europe need socialism?
DALY: I'm very much against neoliberalism, which is currently dominant in the European Union and in many economies around the world, which puts the private ownership of wealth above the interests of the people.
When I call myself a "socialist," I mean that I am against social inequality, and I want to serve ordinary people and make a difference in protecting the environment and so on. In fact, there are huge differences between the European people and the European Parliament on many issues: people want decent jobs, decent incomes and social security; people want housing, and Europe is now facing a huge crisis in this area; people don't want to spend their hard-earned money on military spending or conflicts with other countries, they want cooperation between countries.
In this sense, I am not alone, and I think the same as the people of Europe, whether or not they call themselves socialists.
It is a pity that the EU institutions are now pursuing a neoliberal agenda that benefits big business, big farms, not the interests of the people. Alienated from the people are the institutions of Europe, not me.