Editorial | Month of diplomatic challenges for China’s Xi on EU and Russia fronts
- Talks on trade imbalances and Ukraine war await Chinese president as he first heads to France in pursuit of ‘pragmatic’ European policy, then Serbia and Hungary, before returning to host Vladimir Putin
President Xi Jinping flies to France on Sunday for a summit with President Emmanuel Macron that marks six decades of bilateral ties. His first visit to Europe since the pandemic, including stops in Serbia and Hungary, comes at a difficult juncture in relations between China and the European Union, under the strain of trade imbalances and lack of access to China’s market.
The European Commission has angered Beijing with investigations into alleged state-supported industrial overcapacity in electric vehicles and other green products, such as wind turbines and solar panels. The Ukraine war has also created divisions with Chinese neutrality and European support for Kyiv.
As summit host, Macron has ensured that Europe will also be at the table. His invitation to the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, one of the most hawkish European leaders towards China, to join the summit with Xi is a reminder that France is at the core of China-EU relations.
Beijing has clearly signalled its response to EU moves, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi appealing to France to sway Europe towards a “positive” and “pragmatic” China policy. It has also urged European countries to exert their autonomy, which is not inconsistent with Macron’s argument for a stronger, more independent EU not necessarily aligned with the United States.
Six decades of China-France bilateral relations have proved more stable than 45 years of China-US relations, reflecting a more pragmatic approach from leaders on both sides. In that regard the relationship has benefited from independent thinking in Paris.
