President of the Council of Europe, Charles-Michelasked the Chinese leader. Xi Jinpingusing its “influence” on Russia to stop warand declared that he lacked it. In Beijing, the scenario of any summit where Xi was in between has been repeated since diplomacy rebounded face-to-face after almost three years due to covid. Last month again in Beijing with German President Olaf Scholz. With US President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali and with all the presidents who have asked him to meet. And with what’s to come.
According to European sources, Xi and Michel also talked about trade, human rights, Taiwan, Xinjiang or the post-pandemic world, but the war in Ukraine “occupies” most of the time. “We all share a responsibility for peace, and out of respect for the UN Charter of Fundamental Principles, I urged President Xi to use his influence in Russia,” Michel said at the virtual press conference. China’s president replied It does not supply weapons to Moscow and is against the use of nuclear bombs.. China has already repeated this hundreds of times. Despite Washington’s announcement months ago that it would provide Chinese military assistance, it did not even send Russian troops to a canteen. Wars are unsuitable for China, as they threaten the peaceful order that facilitates its development and trade, and even for Ukraine, which has ruined its relationship with Brussels.
macroeconomic coordination
The conversation turned to how to get it back, the boring and inevitable Russian dossier complete. “There is no strategic conflict between China and the EU,” Xi said. “We must strengthen coordination on macroeconomic issues, ensure a stable supply chain together, build engines to protect the digital economy or the environment, and bet together on new energies or artificial intelligence.” China “does not want to dominate anyone” and said he supports the EU to pursue an “autonomous strategy”.
The problem lies in this autonomous strategy. The balance between those who defend it in the EU and those who agree with Washington’s hostile position desperately shifted seconds after the invasion of Ukraine, and this trend is reversing among China’s diplomatic priorities. According to the Chinese statement of the meeting, Michel said the EU adheres to an autonomous strategy, respects the one-China principle and wants to strengthen communication to “reduce misunderstandings”.
Human rights
Michel brought up other dry issues. The President of the Council of Europe conveyed his defense of the right to peaceful assembly by blatant allusion. evictions during recent protests against zero covid policy. Xi replied that China is ready to launch the China-EU Human Rights Dialogue on the basis of “equality and mutual respect”.
Commerce also emerged. Like the United States, the EU has complained for decades that China is building barriers against foreign agents. Michel called for “more reciprocity” and “a proper balance”. “While market access is very open on the European side, many sectors in China are much more closed.” Now Beijing is also regretting. Some European governments have joined the US’s bans on Chinese companies like Huawei, citing perceived threats to their national security. According to state television, Xi said, “China will continue to be open to European companies and hopes the EU will eliminate interference and create a fair and transparent environment for Chinese companies.”