Lured by trade

The Chinese prime minister's lucrative European tour has come and gone. Wen Jiabao leaves Europe having secured billion euro trade deals with both Britain and Germany.

But in light of the European debt crisis, both Britain and Germany were forced to walk a thin line between increasing pressure on Beijing to improve its human rights record and securing important trade deals.

The European press offers different opinions on how European leaders should have balanced economic priorities and human rights concerns.

The liberal daily newspaper Der Standard from Vienna writes that "strategic partnerships" were the clear focus of Merkel's meeting with Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao. "When rich uncle Wen decides to go shopping on his European tour, Germany naturally doesn't want to be left out. It wants to bring its cutting-edge technology to the buyer."

Nevertheless, the paper argues that what it sees as a more pressing duty should not be overlooked in future. "The Germans can not let up on the dialogue about the rule of law," it says.

The Danish left-liberal daily newspaper Information argues that the west is unduly reticent when it comes to pushing China on its human rights record.

"In the past Western leaders dared to criticize China over allegations of human rights violations. Increasingly, however, they no longer seem to have the will to do this," it says.

The paper suggests that in times of economic difficulties, China's capacity to offer trade agreements has become the biggest priority. "If possible, the US and members of the EU don't want to lose [such agreements] by offending China with criticism of its human rights record."

Information points out, however, that Europe would do well to remember that China also needs the West and Europe's fear of taking a tougher line carries serious consequences. "With a lack of a western willingness to criticize, Beijing has a free reign to continue its policy of oppression," it says.

Meanwhile, the British Independent, argues that the west has no reason to fear damaging trade relations by raising human rights issues. It states that China is so powerful, it is no longer influenced by European calls for change.

"There is a mismatch. We in Britain perceive that it is our right, even our responsibility, to criticize Chinese human rights. In China such comments are seen as intrusive and offensive," the paper says. "The Chinese will pursue what they feel is their self-interest and that is that."

The problem is that Europe is "still not quite grasping the scale of what is happening in China – or how unimportant our views are to the Chinese."

The German regional daily newspaper Rheinische Post also acknowledges that any calls for change on human rights among the economic deals are overlooked by China. "In the past, the wooing of Chinese jobs was cloaked in the hope of 'change through trade.' But although trade has long been in bloom, there is little to be seen of democratic change. Quite the opposite."

Rheinische Post argues that the west will achieve nothing by lecturing China. It advocates that Europe should instead follow a policy of leading by example. "The Chinese must then draw their own conclusions about our values," it says.

Beyond human rights concerns, the Swiss daily, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, comments that billion dollar trade deals with China carry other more pressing dangers which should be addressed. "European politicians would do well to push harder for clearer game rules," says the paper. "Trade needs to be based on open markets, undistorted private competition, transparency and legal certainty."

It goes on to suggest that it is under those conditions that economic exchange would gradually lead to political change, "albeit with Chinese characteristics."

Compiled by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill
Editor: Michael Lawton