China premier Li Keqiang scrambles to shore up support for investment agreement with EU
- Premier Li calls prime ministers of Spain and the Netherlands, according to Xinhua, seeking ‘an early conclusion’ to the deal
- Move comes after French trade official says the agreement could founder over objections to China’s lack of commitment to end forced labour
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has asked leaders of Spain and the Netherlands to back Beijing’s proposed investment deal with the European Union, after a high-level French official threatened to block it over forced-labour concerns.
The intensive diplomatic manoeuvring on Wednesday marked Beijing’s drive to secure the deal before Joe Biden is sworn in as US president in four weeks and seeks to coordinate China policy with Europe.
“China is willing to work together with the EU to push for an early conclusion of the investment agreement,” Li said to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, according to Chinese state media Xinhua.
In another call to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Xinhua said, Li vowed to cooperate with the EU on the agreement, climate change and green development, adding: “China hopes that the EU will continue to provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.”
Li made the calls hours after key French and Polish officials objected to the EU investment deal, respectively over China’s responsibilities toward labour rights as well as the EU’s need to coordinate with the US over China.
“We cannot facilitate investment in China if we do not commit to abolishing forced labour,” Franck Riester, the minister delegate in charge of trade in the French foreign ministry, said in an interview with Le Monde.
