China: MEPs call for genuine political reform and pragmatic cooperation

China must match its economic development with real political reforms, MEPs stress in a resolution adopted on Thursday. The EU can help China with this through pragmatic cooperation, they say. They also voice concerns about the tensions between China and Japan and Taiwan and about North Korea and raise human rights issues.

Parliament points to the recent, vast economic development in China that has lifted a large part of the population out of poverty but regrets that this is not yet matched by progress with political liberties, human rights and social integration.

"I have sought to make a contribution to a successful partnership between the EU and China. One of the key elements is the requirement for mutual responsibility," said Bastiaan Belder (EFD, NL), author of the non-binding resolution. He stressed that his aim was also to raise the concerns of the Chinese people.

MEPs say that pragmatic cooperation between the EU and China can be fostered through Europe's 2020 Strategy and China's 12th Five-Year Plan and ask the new Chinese leadership to ensure that China's economic success is not undermined by  a "red aristocracy' of enormously rich party leaders".

Security concerns: South China Sea, North Korea

MEPs stress that it is in the interests of the EU, as China's leading trade partner, that China and its neighbours agree on a peaceful solution to disputes over islands in the South China Sea.

They regret the close relations between China and the dictatorial regime of North Korea and expect China to take more responsibility for stability on the Korean Peninsula and resume talks on the North Korean nuclear threat.

Trade

MEPs welcome the EU-China talks on trade and investment, stressing that the EU - China's first trade partner - wants to step up  the dialogue on fighting  counterfeiting.

Tibet, Xinjiang and human rights

Parliament recalls that over 90 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009 and says lasting stability in the autonomous provinces of Tibet and Xinjiang cannot be achieved by their forced assimilation.

MEPs also points out that Hu Jia, the 2008 Sakharov Prize winner, remains under house arrest and that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobois is still in prison in China. They call for the abolition of China's one-child policy and condemn the forced abortion of the daughter of seven -month pregnant Feng Jianmei in June 2012.

Procedure:  non-legislative resolution