You are in:
- Contents » Liberty
Friends Like These
Desperate for a 'counterbalance' to US power, the European Union is sniffing around for strategic allies. Top of the list to defend liberty against the evil American imperialists? Cuddly, fluffy China.
It has become a truism that China is on the rise. Many economists reckon that by the middle of this century, its economy will have overtaken that of the US.
European leftists, perhaps nostalgic for the days when the Soviet Union provided the US with a counterweight, pray for this day. Unlike the Soviet Empire, China does not threaten Europe, at least not directly. China's sphere of influence is vast, but the chances of Beijing installing a puppet government in Brussels or Berlin are slight, at least for now.
They may not have to. The EU is eager to improve ties with China, particularly after a flattering Chinese report which predicted that the EU itself will overtake the USA as the next global superpower. Supporters of China must hope that the people who manage its economy and military have more foresight than those who compile its reports.
The EU and China have been working on joint nuclear research. France and Germany - who else? - have led calls for closer diplomatic and military ties.
According to the Telegraph, France's defence minister Michele Alliot-Marie wants to share sensitive military information with China. France also wants to soften the embargo on weapons sales imposed after the Tianamen Square massacre.
Those calling for a unified EU defence policy please note: China, that beacon of freedom and human rights, is what your masters have in mind as an ally to balance the dangerous Atlanticism of the British and the eastern European states.
