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WORLD NEWS Thursday 3 december 2020

E.U. looks forward to Biden resetting trans-Atlantic relations

By RAF CASERT sador to the U.S. who now
Associated Press runs the annual Munich Se-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- curity Conference.
ropean Union is grasping Ischinger referred to a sim-
the imminent arrival of the mering dispute between
incoming Biden administra- Germany and France over
tion as a moment to reset European defense, a rare
relations with the United clash between the nations
States after four years of that dominate the EU.
trans-Atlantic acrimony Trump’s retreat from tradi-
under President Donald tional alliances prompted
Trump. French President Emmanu-
With a series of initiatives, el Macron to push the idea
the 27-nation bloc is seek- of “strategic autonomy”
ing to rekindle the spirit that would make Europe
of cooperation between much more self-sufficient
Washington and Europe in providing for its own de-
that has long defined glob- fense.
al diplomacy. But the EU German Defense Minister
also acknowledges that Annegret Kramp-Karren-
future relations will have bauer said before the U.S.
to adapt to a multi-polar presidential election that
world where China is an European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks during a media conference at EU Berlin still considers a close
ever bigger player. headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. partnership with the United
“It is time to reconnect,” Eu- Associated Press States as critical for Europe-
ropean Commission Presi- change. eration opportunity,” states tween plane construction an security.
dent Ursula von der Leyen During the four years of a strategy paper released champions Boeing and Air- “Illusions of European stra-
said Wednesday. unraveling trans-Atlantic by Borrell on Wednesday. bus and differences over tegic autonomy must
The EU is glad to be shed- relations, China and Rus- When it comes to the coro- steel exports. come to an end: Europe-
ding the Trump years. The sia have gained influence, navirus pandemic, the EU is Even if the EU would love to ans will not be able to re-
president has often criti- and the EU is looking for the already calling for the Unit- intensify its outreach before place America’s crucial
cized European allies for strongest partner possible. ed States to come back to Biden’s inauguration on role as a security provider”
cowering under the U.S. EU partners are seeking a boosting the World Health Jan. 20, it is still hamstrung with its nuclear deterrence
defense and security um- change from Trump’s go- Organization, which Trump by U.S. congressional con- on the European continent,
brella while seeking eco- it-alone credo and back jettisoned earlier this year. firmation hearings, which Kramp-Karrenbauer wrote
nomic advantage through a multilateral approach to Trump also pulled Washing- make it difficult for any talks in an op-ed for Politico.
subsidies and other trade better deal with global cri- ton from the Paris climate to get into diplomatic de- Her published opinion
tactics. ses. agreement, and the EU is tail. prompted an unusually
“Let’s look forward, not The EU has already invited seeking for Biden to bring The next seven weeks do public rebuke from Ma-
back. Let’s rejuvenate our President-elect Joe Biden the U.S. back into that fold leave time for Europe to cron, who said he “pro-
relationship,” EU foreign to visit Brussels at the earli- again, too. put its own house in order foundly” disagreed and
policy chief Josep Borrell est opportunity next year. However, the EU realizes its when it comes to reaching suggested it was “a histori-
said. Beyond the EU itself, Ger- intents might not match re- out to Washington, and not cal misinterpretation.”
Both sides face major chal- many and France have ality anytime soon on issues to squander the opportuni- Ischinger called the epi-
lenges, including beating sounded equally welcom- such a trade conflict over ty because of internal strife, sode “a totally unnecessary
the coronavirus pandemic ing to Biden. subsidies — highlighted by said Wolfgang Ischinger, public dispute” between
and containing climate “We have a once-in-a-gen- the longstanding fight be- a former German ambas- two allies. q

China #MeToo case heard in court after more than 2 years

By HUIZHONG WU and EM- the spread of the global court in Beijing.
ILY WANG #MeToo movement. The #MeToo global move-
Associated Press Zhou, 27, has accused Zhu ment helped encourage
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese Jun, a popular state TV activism in China, but
woman who filed a sexual host, of forcibly kissing her came at a time when Presi-
misconduct lawsuit against in 2014. She is asking for dent Xi Jinping’s govern-
a TV host told cheering a public apology as well ment is tightening controls
supporters at a court- as 50,000 yuan ($7,600) in and stamping out dissent.
house Wednesday that damages. Zhu has denied Women who complain
she hopes her case will en- the accusation and filed a face censorship and offi-
courage victims of gender defamation case against cial resistance. The move-
violence in a system that Zhou. “Even if ultimately ment has seen few victo-
gives them few options to in this case we don’t get ries, and it was only in 2019
pursue complaints. Zhou a legal win, as long as we that sexual misconduct
Xiaoxuan spoke ahead of can show to a lot of people was added to court regu-
a trial in her lawsuit, which (that) there are people like lations as grounds for a suit. Zhou Xiaoxuan, second from left, walks by her supporters holding
was delayed for two years me, those of us who are In a rare victory, a woman banners as she arrives at a courthouse in Beijing, Wednesday,
and reflects the challenges victims of gender violence, who used the alias Liu Li Dec. 2, 2020.
Chinese women face in that’s already a type of won a case against her for- Associated Press
pursuing sexual miscon- win,” Zhou said outside the mer boss in July. The boss, ern city of Chengdu, was apology but no damages
duct complaints despite Haidian District People’s a social worker in the west- required to issue a public were awarded.q