Dutch PM Rutte's victory over populism hailed as boost for Sino-EU relations

The victory of the Dutch prime minister over his far-right challenger Geert Wilders will help the unity of the European Union and also bolster Sino-EU relations, according to commentators.

While the final result of Wednesday's election has yet to be announced, the latest figures suggest that Mark Rutte, the leader of the center right VVD, had won 33 seats in the 150-seat Parliament, making VVD the largest party. Wilder's Freedom Party won 20 seats.

Rutte will form a coalition government, his third since 2010.

Jochum Haakma, chairman of the Brussels-based EU-China Business Association, said Rutte's victory was significant because it followed the victory of Donald Trump in the United States and Britain's vote to leave the EU. Observers feared that Dutch voters would follow the populist votes in the US and the UK but they stayed with an established pro-European leader.

Observers feared that populists could win in the Netherlands, then in the French presidential elections later this spring and in the German elections later this year. "The first European domino has not fallen," said Haakma, referring to the fear that a Wilders victory would trigger a succession of populist election victories, which would destroy the EU.

This result, Haakma said, will ensure continuity in Dutch politics although Rutte's austerity measures during his first two terms cost him nine seats in Wednesday's election.

Arrival of pandas

As for the Sino-Dutch relationship, Haakma said collaboration will continue and be enhanced. Rutte has visited China several times and the King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, paid a state visit to China in 2015.

Haakma said he accompanied Rutte and the king on each visit and was able to observe for himself the close bilateral relationship. Further evidence of the close relations will be demonstrated by the arrival of two pandas to Ouwehands Zoo in the Dutch town of Rhenen, later this month.

"What inspired me most is that the Netherlands was the first European country for President Xi Jinping to visit after he became China's top leader in 2012," said Haakma. Xi visited the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and European Union head-quarters in March, 2014. Rutte has "strong awareness and trust toward China", Haakma said.

Haakma said the European Union will be looking to work more closely with China, particularly in the light of global uncertainty caused by Brexit and Trump's style of leadership.

But Haakma warned that there is a degree of distrust of China in the EU although Rutte will be a pro-China advocate with experience of China and international business.

Steef van de Velde, dean of the Rotterdam School of Management at the Erasmus University, said the election demonstrated that the Netherlands is a stable country although populism remains a threat for the EU and the world.

He said the Netherlands is a trading country and most of the population in this country want to have healthy relations with the EU and China.

"The result means this will not be interrupted," he said after his school signed a cooperation agreement with Huawei on Thursday. "We are outward-looking country and China is outward-looking as well," van de Velde said.

"I trust that there should be stronger partnership between EU and China, and so it is with China and the Netherlands. I am very happy with outcomes of this election."

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn