Brussels: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday articulated the European Union's strategy towards China, emphasizing a "de-risking" approach rather than "decoupling" during her address at the European Parliament's plenary session on EU-China relations. "We will de-risk our economies, but we do not want to decouple," von der Leyen stated, expressing the EU's aspiration to foster a "more balanced" and "more stable" relationship with China.

According to Anadolu Agency, von der Leyen highlighted China's transformation from an agricultural society to an "industrial giant and a clean tech leader," urging an assessment of this new reality. She pointed out the strategic and systemic risks posed by China's unique systems and instruments that enable it to flood global markets with subsidized overcapacity, affecting international competition.

Von der Leyen acknowledged China's significant role in global information and cyberspace and stressed the need to remain vigilant against any "influence operations" and "cyberattacks" which she deemed "unacceptable." She also expressed optimism for building a more meaningful partnership with China, contingent on progress and fair solutions in areas of deadlock, particularly predictability and reliability.

The Commission president outlined three priorities for mutual benefits: rebalancing economic ties, de-risking, and advancing diplomacy on global issues. She advocated for fewer market distortions, reduced overcapacity from China, and reciprocal access for European businesses in China. Von der Leyen emphasized that de-risking is essential for European independence and reiterated the EU's stance against strategic decoupling with China.

Addressing China's alleged support for Russia amid the conflict in Ukraine, von der Leyen noted that China's role in the conflict would significantly impact future EU-China relations. She urged for collaboration with China if it is willing to engage in predictable and reliable partnerships.