The UE-China approach signs intensify even with Xi Jinping’s trip to Moscow
The signs of diplomatic relaunch between the European and China Union continue to intensify, although Beijing reiterated its “unlimited” association with Moscow, which until recently was considered a disqualification factor in the eyes of the block.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and António Costa, president of the European Council, exchanged messages on Tuesday with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qian, celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Optimally, statements underline the mutual desire to advance cooperation in areas of common interest and face global challenges.
The anniversary “is carried out in a moment of global uncertainty and geopolitical changes, underlying our shared responsibility in the defense of all the principles established in the Charter of the United Nations,” they wrote von der Leyen and Costa.
“In this context, we are still committed to deepen our association with China. A balanced relationship based on justice and reciprocity is our common interest.”
EITHER communication Released by the XI office was more detailed and animated, describing the birthday as an opportunity to “open a brighter future for relations with China-Ve”.
“A solid and stable relationship between China and the European Union is not only advantageous for both parties, but also contributes benefits to the world,” said the Chinese president.
The text contrasts strongly with the policy followed by Von der Leyen during his first presidential mandate, when he coined the term “risk reduction” to eliminate dangerous units in relation to China and regularly denounced Beijing’s relations with Moscow.
“The clear objective of the Chinese Communist Party is a systemic change in international order with China in its center,” he said in a historical discourse given in March 2023.
The aggressive position of Von der Leyen deserved the applause of the American administration of Joe Biden and brought to the Member States a unified position in relation to China, although significant divergences persist. Beijing, on the contrary, reached the approach and harshly criticized “risk reduction”, openly and politically motivated.
When Von der Leyen requested a second term in July 2024, his guidelines promised the continuation of the same policy without any deceleration evidence.
“The most aggressive position in China and unfair economic competition, their ‘unlimited’ friendship with Russia, and the dynamics of their relationship with Europe, reflect a change in cooperation to competition.” He wrote Of the Leyen.
But Donald Trump’s return to the White House changed the geopolitical calculation overnight, forcing the EU to reconsider their relations with allies and opponents.
The customs imposed by Trump, in particular, led Brussels to review the way China relates, the second largest economy in the world, and quickly fed the speculation of an imminent diplomatic restart, an impression reinforced by the messages sent to the 50th anniversary.
Inopportune moment
However, the exchange of commemorative messages took place at a very sensitive height.
ADVERTISINGOn Wednesday, Xi Jinping moved to Moscow to a four -day state visit, which will include the military parade organized by Vladimir Putin on the occasion of Victory Day, on May 9, an event that Brussels qualified for advertising. Putin says XI will be the “main guest” of the stop.
The presence of the Chinese president raised questions about whether von der Leyen, a firm defender of Ukraine, would now be willing to change the speed and ignore the Beijing alliance with Moscow for the benefit of business opportunities.
Paula Pinho, spokesman for the European Commission, admitted that the X-Poutin Association “is not clearly a constructive element,” but said that the EU can still work “constructively” with China on other issues, such as climate change and global trade.
“The EU can work constructively with China in other areas, such as climate change and global trade. This is precisely what we expect,” Pinho said on Wednesday. “In areas where we have different points of view, we continue to dialogue with great openness and sincerity.”
ADVERTISINGThe spokesman said that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has the “responsibility of denouncing the obvious violations of the United Nations Charter,” such as the large -scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, to which Beijing refers simply as a “crisis.”
“If China wants to end war in Ukraine, you can play a role to play,” Pinho added.
Beijing’s close friendship with Moscow is one of the main fiction sources in EU-China relations, but it is certainly not the only one.
OTher Tensions Involve Massive Exports of Low-Cost Chinese Products, The Intensive of State Subsidies Over Foreign Competitions, Protectionist Regulations that Prevent Prevent Equitable Access to The Chinese Market, The Surveillance of Citizens and Private Companies, The Management of the Covid-19 Pandemic Behavior in Taiwan’s Narrow, The Repression of the Uigur Minority in the Region Xinjiang, Human Rights Violations, Cybership and Dissinformation campaigns.
ADVERTISINGAll these questions must be present at the UE-China Summit, scheduled for mid-July.
Before this crucial date, the two parties do not save the signs of good will: Brussels agreed to relaunch the negotiations on electric vehicles made in China, while Beijing raised the retaliation sanctions against five deputies of the European Parliament.
