'Rebalancing' doesn't benefit Sino-EU ties

In a major speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused China of distorting trade and limiting access for European companies to the Chinese market as she called for a "genuine rebalancing" between the two sides.

The aim is to have fewer "market distortions", less "overcapacity" exported from China, and fair, reciprocal access for European businesses in China, she said.

The criticism is unjustified and reveals the EU's false perception of China, as a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson later pointed out. The remarks were even more inappropriate given they were made just two weeks prior to a China-EU summit scheduled to be held later this month to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides. The lack of sensitivity does not fit well with the consensus the two sides have reached on doing their utmost to find ways to strengthen their cooperation.