Debate contributions by Bart GROOTHUIS

Madam President, in the past 25 years, Europe's defence spending was more or less stable, while China has increased its defence spending with 600 % and Russia with 300 %. Russia is already at war. China is preparing for one. When President Xi would decide to move on Taiwan with a blockade and a counter‑blockade from the American navy would follow, trade flows to Europe would immediately halter and stop. Europe might have medicine for a couple of weeks, but without semiconductors or critical raw materials, our industry and businesses will be even sooner going black. Is Europe prepared for such a scenario? Dear colleagues, recently I asked in the Industry Committee, in the Defence Committee and in the Trade Committee for scenario studies on a Taiwan blockade, and I ask for your support. It would be the first direct result in this House of Mr Niinistö's excellent, excellent report on civil and military preparedness. His thought leadership is Finland at its best and it will be Europe at its best, but only if we implement his excellent recommendations without further ado.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, since 2017, the Chinese state can demand from any Chinese company to help execute Chinese offensive espionage operations abroad and its operations to influence elections abroad. One hundred and fifty million – mainly young – Europeans have installed the Chinese app TikTok. Its algorithms help them decide what to like, what to trust and who to vote for. TikTok engineers in China decide what the trends are in Europe, in fashion and music, but also in politics. What could possibly go wrong, dear colleagues? Well, of course, first Chinese espionage can be enabled on a device. And second, our elections can be influenced by the Chinese state. So what to do? First, this Parliament should take its task seriously and set up a serious hearing of TikTok's top executives on whether the TikTok app has a place in our democratic Union. Secondly, when politicians like ourselves decide to use TikTok, don't just reach out to those 150 million young voters, but also use the TikTok app to stand up against the Communist Party in China, its ideology and misbehaviour, or else we are complacent to autocratic censorship ourselves.

Madam President, today is a sad day. Today, exactly 10 years ago, flight MH17 leaving from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down – a shameful, shameful deed. Shooting down innocent people from ten kilometres altitude, 298 innocent people were killed: 196 of them – I must reiterate, dear President – were Dutch, four Belgians, four Germans, but 17 nationalities in total. More than 80 children were onboard. Russia had effective control of the territories from which that rocket was fired. Russia was beyond any doubt… Beyond any doubt, the Russian military fired that Buk missile. And today we grieve. Today we are united in our grief. And today we seek justice for the dead. And we want to take responsibility. We want Russia to take responsibility. But Russia is not taking responsibility. Three men were convicted in The Hague, but they remain in Russia under the custody of Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Putin spreads disinformation, false narratives about MH17, and Vladimir Putin still occupies territory and kills innocent people. Later this year, the European Court of Human Rights will come with a verdict. Later this year, the Civil Aviation Organisation will come with a verdict. But I would like to say, as an inhabitant of The Hague, Mr Putin, President Putin, The Hague is the only city in the European Union where you are welcome. And I live to see the day that you end up in The Hague.