President Xi Jinping has begun a state visit to Europe for the first time in five years, starting with a visit to France. Today, he met with French president Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Tomorrow, Macron and Xi will visit southern France in the Hautes-Pyrénées province before continuing on to Serbia and Hungary.
During his visit to France, Xi’s participation in a memorial service for the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was seen as a political message highlighting his view that NATO makes excesses and that the United States has a selective approach to international law. This visit comes at a time when relations between China and Europe are tense due to numerous trade investigations into China’s activities, including plans for import duties on cheap Chinese electric cars due to concerns about anti-competitive subsidies and unfair market access.
Another reason for strained relations between China and Europe is Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Despite China claiming to be a neutral party, it imports Russian energy and exports dual-use products to Russia, creating concerns in Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated in her opening speech that the EU wants good relations with China to address global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
Macron emphasized the need for dialogue between Europe and China in the current global political situation after their meeting today. Von der Leyen described the communication between the trio as open and honest, with disagreements being addressed. Macron and von der Leyen urged Xi to use his influence to help end Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
Von der Leyen acknowledged the complexity of the relationship between the EU and China while emphasizing fair play for all parties involved. She expressed Europe’s readiness to make tough decisions protect its economy and security while approaching this relationship carefully, constructively, and responsibly.