Ireland Criticizes Beijing in Departure From Macron’s China Push

Morwenna Coniam
·2 min read
24

(Bloomberg) -- Ireland’s foreign minister criticized China on human rights and its stance over Russia’s war in Ukraine and rejected the idea that Europe is being squeezed between Beijing and Washington.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In comments that clashed with French President Emmanuel Macron’s call last month for Europe to avoid being dragged into a conflict between China and the US over Taiwan, Micheal Martin underscored a divide between the worldview of China and Europe.

While he said Dublin will continue to work “constructively” with the world’s second-largest economy, he vowed to pursue the values of human rights laid out in the UN Charter and to voice opposition “when we see evidence of those core principles being undermined.”

“There is much chatter about US-China competition, and about the need for the EU to avoid being squeezed between these two hegemons; to build and main its ‘strategic autonomy’,” Martin, who is also Ireland’s deputy prime minister, said in a speech in Dublin on Tuesday. “I disagree with this framing.”

Martin said Ireland would continue to maintain robust trade ties with China, while also working to address climate change, pursue sustainable development and human rights and building a global trading and investment system.

But he laid into Beijing for failing to acknowledge that Russia started the war in Ukraine, and urged it to use its “considerable influence” to end the invasion.

He next called on China to avoid escalation over Taiwan, where Beijing has responded to visits from US House Speaker and other US lawmakers with military drills around the island.

“Any attempt to change the status quo by force would not be acceptable,” said Martin, who added that Ireland continues to respect the One China policy.

He also targeted China’s record on human rights, citing a UN report that noted the “arbitrary and discriminatory detention of the Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups” in China’s Xinjiang region. The report said the situation “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity,” he added.

Irish officials will continue to conduct visits to China to support companies and two-way trade that amounted to €34.5 billion in 2021, he said.

“But we are not naive,” he added. “China’s worldview is different from ours. Our interests and values differ. This reality will inevitably shape how we engage with one another.”

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.