Time for EU to relax control on dual-use exports

Brussels recently entrusted a think tank to seek concrete recommendations on how to develop dual-use technologies to retain Europe's influence and promote its competitiveness.

The European Union has long transferred high-tech applications to China and this has helped the EU benefit from expanded market access as well. But Brussels has kept tight control over exports of civil products that can also have military applications. This control is among the major downsides of the relationship between China and the EU.

Brussels followed Washington's lead in 1989 by introducing economic sanctions against Beijing, and it still refuses to lift its arms embargo despite the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1992. To make matters worse, some European countries have ignored Beijing's objections and exported arms to Taiwan.