In Beijing this week, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to take a more active role in seeking peace in Ukraine while reaffirming the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Macron was first to meet Xi this Thursday. He signaled that Russia enjoys Beijing’s backing in its effort to bring all sides to the negotiating table.
During a press conference in the Chinese capital, Macron stated that Russia’s aggression has disrupted decades of European peace and pressed for a lasting settlement that respects borders recognized by the international community and avoids further escalation.
Xi responded by underscoring China’s preference for dialogue on peace, adding that he and France are urging the global community to stay calm and avoid actions that could worsen the crisis.
China recently published a position paper advocating a political solution to the war in Ukraine, a proposal the West criticized for pairing the aggressor with the attacked.
Earlier this year, Xi visited Moscow to confer with Vladimir Putin, shaping their shared approach to proposals for peace and signaling a strong alignment in their stance.
Xi emphasized his hope that all parties will refrain from attacking civilians, called for the protection of victims, and rejected the use of chemical weapons or attacks on nuclear facilities. He also called for alleviating the burden of the war on developing countries and urged addressing the legitimate concerns of all sides.
Later on, Xi received von der Leyen and then held a trilateral meeting with the European official and Macron. He acknowledged that the crisis is protracted and difficult to resolve, while urging calm and rational steps toward peace talks.
Von der Leyen stressed that China’s role in the Ukraine crisis is significant and expressed hope that Beijing would support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as a foundation for any solution. She also welcomed some of China’s positions, such as opposition to nuclear weapons, and urged that China refrain from arming Russia, which would violate international law.
The European official also indicated that Xi had reaffirmed a willingness to meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky when conditions allow.
The use of force in Taiwan is not acceptable
Von der Leyen made sure the Taiwan issue, a matter China regards as a core sovereignty concern, was part of the discussions. She asserted that stable cross-strait relations are essential and that unilateral changes to the status quo are unacceptable.
Xi described Taiwan as a central interest for China and warned that concessions on this issue would be untenable, suggesting that those who think Beijing will yield are mistaken.
On economic ties and strategic dialogue
Von der Leyen also highlighted the need to decouple certain economic sectors from China as part of a broad and nuanced EU strategy. She noted risks and imbalances in trade that require attention, including concerns over forced technology transfer and data requirements, and called for policies that enable fair market access.
The leaders discussed mechanisms to address these issues through ongoing dialogue, including the EU-China High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue. Macron expressed France’s intent to keep climate cooperation with China active, exploring cooperation in biodiversity, food security, and a new framework for financial partnership.
During Macron’s visit, Chinese authorities granted approval to a structured order with the European aerospace manufacturer Airbus. The arrangement involves a Chinese charter carrier obtaining a mix of aircraft, including the A320 family and several A350 variants, signaling continued collaboration in the aerospace sector.