France’s Macron begins hard talks with China’s Xi Jinping as EU-Sino relations are at a crossroads

0
237
France's Macron starts tough talks with China's Xi Jinping as EU-Sino relations are at a crossroads

Revealed: The Secrets our Clients Used to Earn $3 Billion

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen fulfilled Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pool|Getty Images News|Getty Images

Two of Europe’s heaviest weights in politics are holding talks with China’s President Xi Jinping at a time when the EU-Sino relationship is at a severe crossroads.

On the one hand, some in Europe wants to establish closer financial ties withBeijing On the other hand, others are growing sorely worried about Beijing’s relationship with Russia.

“I am convinced that China has a major role to play in building peace. This is what I have come to discuss, to move forward on. With President Xi Jinping, we will also talk about our businesses, the climate and biodiversity, and food security,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter, minutes prior to satisfying the Chinese leader.

“EU-China relations are extensive and complex. How we manage them will impact EU prosperity and security,” stated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is likewise in Beijing for talks with Xi.

China was the biggest source of EU imports and the 3rd biggest purchaser of EU products in 2022, highlighting Beijing’s financial value forEurope This is especially appropriate when EU financial development is susceptible to the continuous war in Ukraine.

The 27- member bloc subsequently strolls a tightrope, aiming to establish financial ties with China, however likewise to declare a close political and cultural relationship with the UnitedStates This job has actually ended up being especially hard as the U.S. administration increases its anti-Beijing rhetoric– more so, in the wake of Russia’s intrusion of its next-door neighbor Ukraine, which has actually left Europe much more dependent on the U.S. for energy and security.

“Europe has converged quite a lot to the position of the United States,” Niclas Poitiers, a research study fellow at Bruegel, informed CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” Monday, including that Brussels wishes to minimize dependences onChina The EU was greatly dependent on Russia for energy, and it now wishes to prevent making comparable errors with other parts of the world.

“Overall, there is a consensus that we need to do something about our overreliance on China and ensure they don’t blackmail small member states,” Poitiers stated.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez fulfilled China’s President Xi Jinping recently. Europe’s leading foreign affairs diplomat, Josep Borrell, is likewise heading to China next week.