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March 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace

La Malaisie renoncerait-elle à l’achat de chasseurs européens au profit de chinois?

Qualifiant les mesures de l'UE de «protectionnistes», le Premier ministre malaisien a promis que, si l'UE poursuivait sa mobilisation contre l'huile de palme, son pays renoncerait également aux produits européens, notamment en acquérant plutôt des chasseurs chinois.

La Malaisie a annoncé son intention d'acheter des chasseurs à la Chine, si l'Union européenne continuait sa campagne contre le biocarburant à base d'huile de palme, rapporte la version numérique du journal New Straits Times, citant le Premier ministre du pays.

«Nous pouvons adopter des mesures réciproques, s'ils ne veulent pas acheter notre huile de palme. Dans ce cas, nous n'avons non plus besoin de leurs produits. Je viens de rentrer du Pakistan où, lors d'un défilé, il y avait des chasseurs fabriqués par la Chine. Si nous avons besoin d'un chasseur, nous examinerons l'acquisition de ceux fabriqués en Chine», a déclaré le chef du gouvernement malaisien, Mahathir Mohamad, lors d'une rencontre à laquelle étaient présents des fabricants d'huile de palme.

Pour rappel, il avait été plus tôt annoncé que la Malaisie examinait la possibilité de se procurer des chasseurs polyvalents français Rafale ou des Eurofighter Typhoon, produits par le consortium européen Eurofighter GmbH.

Mahathir Mohamad considère que l'UE agit d'une manière «injuste» lorsqu'elle propose de prohiber l'huile de palme, ajoutant qu'il s'agit d'une mesure protectionniste par laquelle ce bloc cherche à plonger «dans la pauvreté» les Malaisiens.

«L'huile de palme n'est pas un poison et ils ne doivent pas dire qu'on ne peut pas en mettre dans la nourriture. Ils n'ont pas pitié de 600.000 pauvres ouvriers qui perdront leur emploi et seront privés de revenus, si on ferme les plantations», a-t-il ajouté.

https://fr.sputniknews.com/international/201903241040483791-malaisier-chasseurs-europe-chine/

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