European Union does not intend to enter a " cold war " with China because of disinformation campaigns linked to the Covid-19 pandemic coming from China, assured the head of the European diplomacy on Wednesday .
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" I said to the Chinese foreign minister, 'Don't worry, Europe is not going to engage in any cold war with China,' " said Spaniard Josep Borrell, when asked his videoconference interview on Tuesday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to prepare for an EU-China summit.
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“ We have been working on disinformation for a long time. We started five years ago. In recent years, disinformation has also focused on sources from China, but it is not directed against China, "said Borrell when presenting a strategy to tackle disinformation on health issues. . “ Russia and China are behind disinformation campaigns against EU action to combat the spread of Covid-19. We have enough evidence, ”said Vera Jourova, Vice-President of the Commission, in charge of Values and Transparency.
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" These campaigns are weakening the measures taken in terms of health and they will increase against vaccination campaigns ," warned Ms. Jourova. " But we don't have the capacity for coercion, " admitted Josep Borrell. " Especially since the Russian and Chinese authorities claim not to be responsible for these campaigns " because the media that carry them " are private companies ".
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Josep Borrell said he received assurances from the Chinese minister on Tuesday that China " has no military ambitions ." “ Words count in diplomacy, but facts may count more. We are fully aware in Europe that China is increasing its military spending, "he stressed, however. " One thing is what the Chinese say. Another is our knowledge of the facts, ”he concluded.