In an interview, during the European parliamentary elections, with the Dutch daily Volkskrant, Anette Nijs, a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) who also was the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Dutch Government of Balkenende I and II from 22 July 2002 until 9 June 2004, and also Member of the Dutch House of Representatives
from 30 January 2003 until 27 May 2003 and again from 7 June 2005 until
30 November 2006, expressed her concern about weakening of EU and US
economic power as opposed to that of China.
"I'm not afraid of China, but emerging countries, with China in the lead, have two engines: the market and the state. We can not compete with that. If China is a large contract in India close to the electrical infrastructure, then the command to Chinese companies. I'd rather not see that happen in Europe. We must therefore ensure that Europe remains at the economic summit. I travel a lot and see what the Chinese do. They build new ports, which will hit Rotterdam directly. They build huge airports that goes Schiphol brands. Their technology is very advanced, which Philips will notice. "
" At the Shanghai Asia Summit, and I suggested to the Chinese PM that China include research questions to combat air pollution put on the Internet. China needs to develop the best proposals and solutions available to the rest of the world.
China is still not soing the right things as a developing country. But in the Netherlands and the US, they are already talking about the 'new poor'. Labor costs in the auto industry in Detroit are lower than those in China. As the Netherlands and the other countries in the EU are not careful we will soon be the new low-wage countries and probably working for Chinese companies "
She also stressed the fact that the political elite within the EU member states should abandon their focus on just their own national interests but instead focus on broadening and strengthening the unity among EU member states.
EU-Digest
"I'm not afraid of China, but emerging countries, with China in the lead, have two engines: the market and the state. We can not compete with that. If China is a large contract in India close to the electrical infrastructure, then the command to Chinese companies. I'd rather not see that happen in Europe. We must therefore ensure that Europe remains at the economic summit. I travel a lot and see what the Chinese do. They build new ports, which will hit Rotterdam directly. They build huge airports that goes Schiphol brands. Their technology is very advanced, which Philips will notice. "
" At the Shanghai Asia Summit, and I suggested to the Chinese PM that China include research questions to combat air pollution put on the Internet. China needs to develop the best proposals and solutions available to the rest of the world.
China is still not soing the right things as a developing country. But in the Netherlands and the US, they are already talking about the 'new poor'. Labor costs in the auto industry in Detroit are lower than those in China. As the Netherlands and the other countries in the EU are not careful we will soon be the new low-wage countries and probably working for Chinese companies "
She also stressed the fact that the political elite within the EU member states should abandon their focus on just their own national interests but instead focus on broadening and strengthening the unity among EU member states.
EU-Digest
