EU Official Prods China to Act More Global

(Bloomberg/Business Week)

EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht has called on China to respect its global responsibilities, saying “splendid isolation is no longer an option.”

Speaking at a conference in the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels on Thursday (6 May), Mr De Gucht said China must match its newfound economic weight with greater participation in international governance forums such as the World Trade Organisation.

“With size comes responsibility,” said the Belgian politician who has recently returned from a visit to China where he met the country’s commerce minister, Chen Deming.

European businesses have increasingly expressed their frustration at a perceived slowdown in market-opening reforms in the Asian powerhouse economy, saying Beijing is succumbing to the protectionist calls of domestic producers. Read more here.

Related: European Union Launches First-Ever Anti-Subsidy Action Against China (International Law Office — Subscription required)