“Europe is not aligned” with the United States and China, says Thierry Breton

On Friday April 7, the President of the Republic was on an official trip to China with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen. Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, assured during the “4 Truths”, that China “is a very big business partner” of the European Union. “We are very important for China, we represent 20% of its exports and 9% in the other direction. So we are more important for China than it is for us”said the European Commissioner.

“The EU has a unique voice”

On relations between the EU and Beijing, Thierry Breton asserts that Europe is not “naive in nothing”. “It’s a trading partner, but we have to derisk the relationship we have with China”said the former Minister of the Economy.

Chinese diplomats have criticized the European Commission, calling it too subservient to US interests. “Europe is not aligned, neither with the United States nor with China, although of course we are allied with the United States in the context of the war in Ukraine”, notes Thierry Breton. The Commissioner also explains that the EU has a “singular voice” which must be preserved. The union must be aware of “its strengths” for Thierry Breton, “to be able to weigh in the world as it comes”.