Ireland strikes moderate tone on China as EU rethinks relationship

Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s speech about China to the Royal Irish Academy on Tuesday comes as the European Union and its member states have started rethinking their relations with Beijing. Before her visit to the Chinese capital last month, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that Europe must “de-risk” diplomatically and economically from China.

Martin endorsed this approach, which rejects the idea of “decoupling” or disengaging from the Chinese economy, as some in Washington are advocating. But he did not specify which sectors needed to be “de-risked” and he stressed that Chinese companies operating in the Republic would continue to be welcome.

He said the private sector, including academic institutions, should reflect on how to continue to build relationships with China while identifying areas where it might be necessary to de-risk. But he did not suggest any coercive action by the Government, implying that such private sector de-risking might be optional.

In fact, any EU-wide plan for de-risking will have to be coercive if it is to be effective and the United States is pressuring its European allies to target more of the Chinese economy. As one of the EU’s most ardent advocates of free trade, the Republic is likely to be among the voices calling for economic de-risking to be as targeted and limited as possible.

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Martin spoke enthusiastically about the State’s relationship with China on the United Nations Security Council recently but said Beijing must ensure that its policies, including the Global Security Initiative, strengthen the existing global order. He reaffirmed the Republic’s commitment to the One China policy, which means no diplomatic relations with Taiwan and recognising Beijing as the only legitimate government of China.

Martin’s toughest talk for Beijing was on human rights, as he cited UN human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet’s conclusion that the treatment of Muslim groups in Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity. The Chinese authorities will not welcome his promise to continue to raise human rights issues in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, all of which Beijing regards as nobody’s business but its own.

China’s failure to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year soured relations with Europe but Martin described Xi Jinping’s call with Volodymyr Zelensky and his decision to send a special envoy to the region as “a very positive step”. Beijing will dislike some of what the Tánaiste said on Tuesday but his speech positions the Republic among the more moderate voices in the debate as Europe decides on its new policy towards China.