EU reassures China as Britain leaves bloc

(Baonghean.vn) - On April 20, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy, Federica Mogherini, said that even after Britain leaves the bloc, the union will continue to be the world's leading market and the world's second largest economy.

High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. Photo: Reuters

“The UK will have to give up its dependence on a community. We will lose an important member state. For me all members are equally important. But I think the UK will lose more than we will lose,” Mogherini told students at Tsinghua University in Beijing during a visit to China.

Brexit negotiations are set to begin in June as planned, after the British people vote in early parliamentary elections. The British Parliament on April 19 approved an early election on June 8, as previously called for by British Prime Minister Theresa May. On the EU side, EU representative Mogherini said the negotiation process would take two years and could not be faster.

In response to China’s concerns about the EU’s instability after Britain leaves the bloc, the EU’s top representative reassured Beijing: “The European Union, even after Britain leaves, will continue to be the world’s leading market and the world’s second largest economy. The message I received from China is that the EU is an indispensable partner in today’s world.”

According to the schedule, the UK has 2 years to negotiate the terms of its "divorce" with the EU before it takes effect at the end of March 2019.

Lan Ha

According to Reuters