The rifts between the EU and China have steadily deepened. Now comes the Ukraine war. Can economic relations continue as before?
Brussels/Peking – The trade relations between the EU* and China are currently threatening from Ukraine conflict* to be overshadowed. Above all, the EU would like to see the political leadership in China* clear and unequivocal because of the Ukraine war* from Russia* would distance. “No European citizen would understand if there was any support for Russia’s ability to wage war,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and State and Party leader Xi Jinping. “That would do great damage to China’s reputation here in Europe.”
Indirectly, von der Leyen also threatened China with consequences for the close economic relations. “It is clear that the Russian invasion of the Ukraine* is a defining moment not only for our continent, but also for our relationship with the rest of the world,” she said. EU Council President Charles Michel also made a clear statement. “We asked China to contribute to the end of the war in Ukraine,” he said. “China cannot ignore Russia’s violation of international law.”
EU-China summit: Beijing criticizes sanctions against Russia
However, the government in China does not want to be interfered with in its politics. Even before the start of the EU-China summit, Beijing was sending out sobering signals. “No one should force others to choose sides,” said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. In addition, China again criticized the West’s punitive measures against Russia. The fact that normal trade exchanges with Russia are being “unnecessarily” damaged is a problem, the spokesman said.
Despite the clear political backing for Russia, Prime Minister Li Keqiang was emphatically diplomatic in talks with the Europeans: China wants to work with the EU and the world and “play a constructive role in easing the situation, ending hostilities, playing a larger humanitarian role prevent catastrophe and let peace return soon”.
EU-China summit: Dispute over Ukraine war
However, this in no way means that China is moving away from Russia or moving in line with the EU. Because when Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited China this week, very different tones were heard. Since the “boundless” friendship with Russia was invoked. In addition, at the EU-China summit, Xi Jinping expressed his hope that the European Union would bow to the influence of the USA* withdraws. China hopes that the European side “has an independent perception of China and pursues an independent policy towards China.” Perhaps precisely because of the massive differences, Council President Michel welcomed on Twitter that the video summit was “a timely and necessary opportunity for dialogue”.
The EU’s main concern at the summit was to make it clear that the war is likely to change not only Europe’s view of relations with Russia, but also with other countries in the long term. Accordingly, the hitherto very close economic and trade relations with China could also be called into question if the country does not distance itself more clearly from Russia’s actions against Ukraine.
EU-China Summit: EU and US are China’s most important trading partners
The EU hopes that the leadership in Beijing will be aware of the EU’s importance as an economic partner. The EU was by far China’s most important trading partner in 2021. Russia does not even appear in the list of China’s top ten trading partners. Instead, the USA is in second place after the EU, and has even threatened China with sanctions in the event of clear material support from Russia.
Meanwhile, the EU is still relying on incentives. According to top officials, should China change course on Russia, the EU would be ready to give China additional help in developing mRNAvaccines* against corona* to offer. So far, the country has been well behind with its own developments in this area and now has to fear further serious economic consequences from the pandemic due to the sharp increase in the number of infections.
One way or another, China has to adjust to the fact that some things will change in economic relations with the EU in the next few years and that its competitive practices will no longer be tolerated. (cs/dpa) *fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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