Seit 2001 ist China Mitglied der World Trade Organisation (WTO) und strebt weiter das Ziel an, global als Marktwirtschaft anerkannt zu werden. Aktuell gerät dieses Thema verstärkt in die Öffentlichkeit. Eine aktuelle Studie des Economic Policy Institute (EPI) in Washington warnt dramatisch vor den Folgen für den europäischen Markt, falls China als Marktwirtschaft anerkannt werden sollte. Sie kommt zu dem Schluss, dass eine Vielzahl von europäischen Arbeitsplätzen – die Rede ist von 1.7 Millionen – in Gefahr wäre, wenn China diesen Status erhielt. Als Stellvertretender Vorsitzender der Delegation für die Beziehungen zur Volksrepublik China, habe ich mich daher bezüglich dieses Themas den Fragen von William Louch vom “The Parliament Magazine” gestellt. Anbei meine Antworten und darauf folgend der Link zum dazu veröffentlichten Artikel.
Specifically, do you support granting China market economy status? If so, why?
“Let us not jump to conclusions. First and foremost we need a transparent public conversation on this topic. I hope this is now the beginning. The EPI figures about possible economic impacts may be overblown but it is unacceptable that the European Commission has so far tried to dodge a necessary debate. The legal services of the Commission and the Parliament seem to be of the opinion that the market economy status has to be granted automatically. I do not agree with that point of view. Market economy status should be granted, if and only if the pertinent criteria have been met. I request that the legal opinions must be made available to the public in order to facilitate the needed public debate.”
As a German MEP, the report estimates that Germany would lose up to 650,000 jobs, would this stop you supporting granting China market economy status?
“Let us not get hectic on the basis of just one report. I know that European industries have also mandated their own investigation of possible consequences of granting market economy status. The European trade union association industriALL has recently come out with a strong criticism against granting this status. Again: All sides must put the facts on the table.”
On a wider note, how do you think we could best promote trade with China, without damaging the EU economy?
“I don’t really like these kind of very generic questions. To give you an adequate answer I would say: We should find the right balance on the basis of a European industrial policy strategy that defines first of all where we want to go instead of letting trading interests dictate where we want to go as European societies and instead of letting trading interest of a few major corporations or industrial sectors dictate the development of our economies.”
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/chinese-market-economy-status-could-put-35-million-eu-jobs-risk
http://www.epi.org/publication/eu-jobs-at-risk/
