Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 15 December 2015 - Strasbourg

EU-China relations (debate)

  Amjad Bashir (ECR). – Mr President, I thank my colleague Mr Belder for his report. With power comes responsibility, and China appears to be more interested in the first whilst avoiding the second. A responsible global power cannot engage in distortive currency manipulation, bully its neighbours in the South China Sea and have a human rights record that leaves much to be desired. Beijing cannot push for recognition as a market economy while turning a blind eye to deliberately under-priced steel exports.

Steel dumping has had a devastating impact on what was the economic engine of my region, Yorkshire and the Humber. Our relationship with China should be a two-way street and I ask my colleagues to help call it to account when so many jobs are being unfairly jeopardised.