The EU is its own worst enemy
Por Alex Lo — South China Morning Post – News feed
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As I see it Alex Lo The EU is its own worst enemy
From industrial decline and debt woes to political polarisation, Europe’s crisis is home-grown – and blaming China won’t fix it
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Alex Lo Alex Lo has been an SCMP columnist since 2012, commenting on China and international affairs. Published: 5:30am, 10 Oct 2026 Another day, another hardline statement from the European Union. This week, the European Parliament voted by a landslide for a significantly tougher China position , despite long-standing Beijing lobbying.
The report labels China a “decisive enabler” of Russia, calls for a “continuous” European naval presence and joint exercises in and around the Taiwan Strait, and describes Beijing’s industrial policy as an “existential threat to the EU”. “[T]his parliament can send a clear message: no more dumping, no more spying and fair competition,” said its lead author, the Belgian lawmaker Hilde Vautmans.
The message may be clear; its wisdom is not. European warships near Taiwan will not make Beijing back down. Reunification is the one issue on which Beijing will never compromise . This came after France and Germany demanded a new trade weapon , set out in a joint paper and a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It threatens to cut off access to the EU market when third countries cause severe distortions. In effect a kill switch, it would grant the European Commission dramatic new powers to respond swiftly. Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
