It’s regarding geopolitics, power and markets when Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping visits France once more following almost five years on a trip to Europe.
After his arrival on Sunday followingnoon, talks with President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen are scheduled for Monday. On the agenda at the Élysée Palace in Paris is, among other things, the Russian war of aggression once morest Ukraine.
Fair trading conditions
Here the Europeans and France want to ensure that China at least has a moderating influence on the Kremlin. China, for its part, wants to break the Europeans out of their close alliance with the USA. Another point: The EU insists on fair trading conditions with China and opposes the import of subsidized products – at the same time, Macron is hoping for new trade agreements with the giant empire.
However, the Chinese head of state and party leader’s travel program shows that he does not want to give in when it comes to Russia: he wants to visit the two Russia-friendly countries Hungary and Serbia in addition to France.
Distance to the USA
The three countries that Xi wants to visit in Europe also have one thing in common: They want a strong Europe (France) that is more independent of the USA and are quite sympathetic to the “new Silk Road” (Hungary and Serbia) – in contrast to many others European countries. Before Xi’s departure, Chinese state media painted a picture that Europeans were being pushed into Washington’s dependence, especially following the outbreak of war in Ukraine. If the Europeans stuck to this course, they would no longer be able to escape the fate of becoming a vassal of the USA, according to the state-run Global Times.
Macron, who preaches more European sovereignty, recently used the same vocabulary when he advocated the construction of a Europe that would never be a vassal of the USA and might talk to all regions of the world.
Relationships in a downward spiral
Since Xi’s visit to Europe five years ago, relations have clearly entered a downward spiral. While Brussels and Beijing grew closer, especially during the Trump years in the White House, the ratification of an investment agreement was put on hold at the end of 2020 due to increasing geopolitical tensions and concerns regarding human rights violations in China. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Beijing has also been confronted with accusations from the EU of supporting Russia in its invasion.
Brussels has recently taken a tougher tone on economic issues. Work is underway to impose higher tariffs on electric cars from China. A project that is being pushed forward primarily by the French and which Germany views rather skeptically.
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