EU The EU warned China not to take part in watering down sanctions against Russia

Brussels

European UnionThe President of the European Commission took part in the talks between the EU and China on Friday Ursula von der Leyen says it has told China that no one in Europe understands China’s support for Russia.

According to Von der Leyen, China will take a huge reputational risk if it does so. European companies in particular are now following the situation closely in terms of their long-term investment, the commission president said at a news conference after the EU-China summit.

Throughout Friday, EU and Chinese leaders discussed the war in Ukraine and other issues rubbing between EU countries and China.

No joint statement emerged from the discussions.

In addition to von der Leyen, the EU was represented by the President of the EU Council Charles Michel and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. They first discussed with the Chinese prime minister this morning Li Keqiangin with. In the afternoon, it was China’s president Xi Jinping.

EU-China summits have been held 22 times before, but the war in Ukraine has completely changed the situation.

The main purpose of the EU was to get the message across to China that the West would act unitedly against Russia after the country invaded Ukraine, and that China should think carefully about whose side it was going to be on.

The EU has followed China’s rebalancing in pain as it tries to maximize its own interests between Russia and the West. China would like to use its influence over Russia to end the war, but so far there are no signs of that.

China’s special responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council was emphasized. According to Von der Leyen, it was also made very clear that the sanctions imposed on Russia are the EU’s response to Russia’s attack, and the EU will not accept attempts to circumvent sanctions or water down.

The trump card of the EU is that economically, the EU and the West are far more important to China than Russia.

EU Relations with China have deteriorated in many ways over the past year, as China has shifted its power policy towards, among others, the EU country Lithuania. Lithuania’s trade with China became more difficult with the opening of a Taiwanese mission in the country, also called a Taiwanese mission instead of Taipei.

The EU has criticized China for treating the Uighur minority in Xinjiang Province. A year ago The EU imposed sanctions four Chinese authorities known to have been involved in organizing local concentration camps. China immediately imposed its own sanctions and raised a number of EU parliamentarians, among others.