The United States and the European Union, as part of their dialogue on China, have discussed the value of engaging with India to address global challenges, including in maritime, energy, and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific.
The discussion on India was part of the two-day “US-EU Dialogue on China” and the sixth meeting of the “US-EU High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific,” which took place here on September 9-10.
The dialogue was chaired by Under Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on behalf of the US and by Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Stefano Sannino, on behalf of the EU.
“They discussed the value of US-EU collaboration with India on global challenges, security, including in the maritime arena, energy, and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific. The United States and the European Union also discussed recent developments in Bangladesh,” said a joint statement issued on September 11.
Continued and increased engagement in the Indian Ocean region was discussed, including support to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
During the meeting, Campbell and Sannino reiterated their deep and growing concerns about Chinese exports of significant quantities of dual-use goods and items used by Russia on the battlefield against Ukraine and the continued involvement of China-based companies in sanctions evasion and circumvention.
They acknowledged that China’s continued support for Russia’s military-industrial base is enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war against Ukraine, which poses a threat to transatlantic and global security and stability.
They reiterated their expectation that China, as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, will act in support of international law, including the UN Charter, and recalled that any peace proposal in Ukraine must be based on the UN Charter and its principles, including respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and be in line with continuous efforts to uphold the rules-based international order.
According to the joint statement, the United States and the European Union recognized the importance of having balanced and fair economic relations with China and reiterated their commitment to free and fair rules-based trade and ensuring a level playing field for their workers and businesses.
“In this regard, the United States and the EU will continue to actively address challenges posed by China’s non-trade policies and practices, including overcapacity and economic coercion,” the statement said.
“Both sides confirmed their intention to continue reducing risks by investing in their resilience and reducing dependencies and vulnerabilities in strategic sectors, which fosters resilience to economic coercion. They also confirmed the importance of advancing governance of critical and emerging technologies,” the joint statement said.
The two delegations also discussed the human rights situation in China, including their recent engagement with China on this issue.
Both recognized the need for greater global awareness and decisive action to address China’s continued human rights abuses, including in Tibet and Xinjiang.
“They stressed that China should cooperate effectively with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including in implementing the recommendations of its assessment report on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, as well as with international human rights mechanisms,” the statement said.
Both the US and the EU stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is indispensable for international security and stability, and called for peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues through dialogue.
“They urged China to exercise restraint in and around the Taiwan Strait. They expressed opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, including through force or coercion. They expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations,” the joint statement said.
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