The European Union should speak with one voice when it comes to China, Dutch foreign affairs minister Frans Timmerman told Nos radio on Tuesday.

The Chinese authorities do not know who to approach in Europe because European countries see themselves as competitors in the Chinese market, he said.

‘That is less effective than having one EU China policy,’ the minister said.

China is a major world player but the ‘yellow peril’ is ‘rather exaggerated’, Timmermans said. The country has much to do internally in the coming years and ‘will not seek conflicts in its external policy’.

The Chinese parliament is holding its national people’s congress on Tuesday.