In this mailing: Soeren Kern: European Parliament Freezes Ratification of China Investment Treaty Memorial Day Message European Parliament Freezes Ratification of China Investment Treaty by Soeren Kern  •  May 31, 2021 at 5:00 am       The lopsided agreement, which ostensibly aims to level the economic and financial playing field by providing European companies with improved access to the Chinese market, actually allows China to continue to restrict investment opportunities for European companies in many strategic sectors. The deal also lacks meaningful enforcement mechanisms for issues that the EU claims to care about, such as climate change and human rights, including forced labor. "China has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to use its economic power as a strategic weapon. By deepening their economic reliance on China — without coordinating their policy with fellow democracies — European nations are increasing their vulnerability to pressure from Beijing. That is a remarkably shortsighted decision to make." — Gideon Rachman, Financial Times, January 4, 2021. China contends that its sanctions are tit for tat — morally equivalent retaliation — in response to those imposed by Western countries. In fact, the European sanctions are for crimes against humanity, whereas the Chinese sanctions seek to silence European critics of the Chinese Communist Party. "China cannot and will not be tamed. It will not adhere to the rule of law. It will not give up on its uncouth wolf warriors. It will not change its debt trap diplomacy. It will not end the weaponization of political systems, in this case the fault lines of democracies, to smother democracies. If it is counter sanctions today, it will be intellectual property theft tomorrow, and 5G data surveillance of free citizens next. Under Xi Jinping, China has become a hydra-headed monster." — Gautam Chikermane, Indian foreign affairs expert, Observer Research Foundation, May 21, 2021. "While halting the ratification of CAI is good, scrapping CAI altogether would be better." — Andreas Fulda, German China scholar, May 20, 2021. The European Parliament has halted ratification of a controversial investment treaty with China until Beijing lifts sanctions on European lawmakers, academics and think tanks. Pictured: Berlaymont, the European Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Jean-Christophe Guillaume/Getty Images) The European Parliament has halted ratification of a controversial investment treaty with China until Beijing lifts sanctions on European lawmakers, academics and think tanks. The move, a rare display of fortitude by an institution notorious for vacillation, reflects a hardening stance in Europe toward the Chinese Communist Party. The ratification freeze, backed by all of the major groupings in the European Parliament, is significant for several reasons: it represents a turning point in EU-China relations, in that Beijing no longer calls the shots; it marks a shift in the balance of power in favor of the European Parliament at the expense of the European Commission; and it signifies the beginning of the end of Merkelism, and ideology which, among other things, consistently prioritized commercial interests over human rights concerns, whether in China, Russia or Iran. Continue Reading Article Memorial Day Message May 31, 2021 at 4:00 am       Gatestone Institute wishes to thank all the brave men and women of America's armed forces who sacrificed their lives -- and all of you who continue every day to defend our freedom -- so that we may sleep soundly in our beds at night. We are in your debt. — The Editors. Pictured: An honor guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington National Cemetery. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)