EU and China to focus on Russia-Ukraine and economic tensions between Beijing and Brussels
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said that she will push for fair and non-distorted competition with China during her talks with the President of China, Xi Jinping, in Paris.
The President of China – Xi Jinping has arrived in Paris today, i.e., Monday, 6th May’24, his first European tour in 5 years, with a significant focus on addressing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and economic tensions between Beijing and Brussels.
During his stay in Paris, he will meet the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Beijing and Paris are marking 60 years since diplomatic relations were established, with France the first Western country to formally recognise the People’s Republic of China on January 27, 2024.
Taking it to X, Ursula tweeted,
In Paris for the trilateral meeting with Presidents @EmmanuelMacron and Xi Jinping.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 6, 2024
We will discuss several key issues of vital interest to the EU, including:
Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the broader geopolitical situation, and how to rebalance our trade and economic… pic.twitter.com/DKp8O8xoMO
She reiterated the bloc’s position that it should derisk ties with China but not decouple from the world’s second-largest economy, in contrast with the United States’ (U.S.) aggressive moves to shut out key Chinese industries entirely.
Speaking on the occasion, she said, “I have made clear that the current imbalances in market access are not sustainable and need to be addressed.”
Last week, the European Commission opened an investigation to determine if European suppliers of medical devices are given fair market access in China. The inquiry follows similar probes into Chinese wind turbine suppliers and Chinese subsidies for solar panels, Electric Vehicles (EVs) and trains. European carmakers such as Volkswagen and Renault are losing ground to Chinese electric vehicle makers, which have received billions of dollars worth of state subsidies in recent years. The European Union (E.U.) Officials are also concerned about Chinese spying and Beijing’s military cooperation with Russia as Moscow prosecutes its war on Ukraine.
China has long maintained it is neutral in the war, but Beijing and Moscow have deepened their ties since the full-scale invasion began, and Putin is expected to visit China this month.
The trip also comes amid a deteriorating global security climate, with the war in Ukraine now into its 3rd year and at least 34,683 Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza. France has said those two conflicts, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, where China has professed neutrality but not condemned Moscow for its full-scale invasion, will feature prominently in the talks. Macron would be urging Xi Jinping to put pressure on the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine invasion.
Following Monday’s Summit, Marcon and his wife – Brigitte, will host Xi Jinping and his wife – Peng Liyuan, to a State banquet.
Post that, he would be travelling South to the Pyrenees. He would then travel to Serbia, where he will arrive in Belgrade on the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese Embassy for talks with the President of Serbia – Aleksandar Vucic. Three people were killed when Washington said it accidentally struck the compound during the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) air campaign against Serb forces occupying Kosovo, in an event that triggered outrage and protests in China.
Xi Jinping would then travel to Hungary, an ally of China and Russia. Hungary recently signed a security cooperation agreement with China that allows Chinese police officers to work in areas with large populations of ethnic Chinese or which are popular with Chinese tourists. Reports on such Chinese police stations have raised alarm in other parts of Europe, particularly among exiles and dissidents. Hungary is also part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which it joined in 2015.
