The European Union will try to take advantage of China’s efforts to implement a more “assertive” foreign policy, as defined last week by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a speech in which she mentioned the teachers’ line. Brussels’ stance on the Asian giant is on the doorstep of leaders including him sitting in Beijing. “Our relations are not black or white,” the German said of what he described as one of the “most difficult and important” in the world. Hours before von der Leyen sat down with Xi Jinping, the top representative, Josep Borrell, reiterated that the position Beijing takes on Vladimir Putin will define the EU’s relations with China.
“We spoke clearly with China. His stance on Russian atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relationship with Beijing,” Borrell said in a statement before taking part in a joint energy meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The position of the USA and the European Union regarding China is different. Washington claims that China is preparing to supply Russia with lethal weapons, while Brussels insists that they have no evidence that this is the case. In addition, 27 show rapprochement with Beijing not only for the ability to influence Putin, but also for commercial interests.
“China has a moral duty to promote a just peace. He will not be on the side of the aggressor, nor will he provide military assistance,” warned Borel, who assured that this is exactly what they expect from a member of the UN Security Council.
However, Borrell recalled that the latest “escalation” by Russia “ironically” took place after the meeting between Xi Jinping and Putin in Moscow. “This is a new escalation and threatens the security of Europe,” Borrell said of Putin’s tactical deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. China’s peace proposal is against nuclear weapons.
Borrell and Blinken reiterated financial, military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, although the American neglected relations with China. What he emphasized is the need to maintain “coordination” to avoid dependence on Russian gas (he recalled that US exports to the EU will increase by 140% to 53,000 million cubic meters in 2022), as well as food security problems caused by the war .
In fact, the EU and the US intend to increase cooperation with a new global energy efficiency initiative, as Borrell and Blinken announced before participating in the 10th meeting of the EU-US Energy Council in Brussels.
Source: El Diario
