Chinese leaders have been visiting Europe trying to improve relations between China and the EU. Vice President Han Zheng attended the coronation of Great Britain's King Charles III and visited Portugal and the Netherlands. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited Germany, France and Norway. From the end of last year, China-EU relations are experiencing “a comprehensive restart”, with dialogues and exchanges in various fields. Qin's visit will smooth communication in the fields of diplomacy, security strategy and so on, Cui Hongjian, Director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times. “A comprehensive and objective view on China is the basis for making policy that is beneficial to both China and the EU,” Cui added.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned the EU that pursuing de-sinicization in the name of de-risking is actually breaking away from opportunities, cooperation, stability and development. Qin was speaking to reporters with his Germany counterpart Annalena Baerbock after their talks in Berlin, saying that China appreciates the announcement by Germany and the EU of not seeking to decouple from China, but is still concerned about “de-risking.” Qin said that China does not export its system, and pursues an opening-up strategy featuring mutually beneficial and win-win results, stressing that China will never perpetrate activities like sabotaging Nord Stream 2. When asked about the EU possibly imposing sanctions on Chinese companies for having cooperation with Russia, Qin said China didn't sell weapons to parties related to the Ukraine crisis and the normal exchanges between China and Russian enterprises should not be affected.
Minister Qin Gang has warned that the real “risk” Europe faces comes from “a certain country” that is waging a “new cold war”, imposing unilateral sanctions and exporting its own financial problems to others. Qin did not mention the U.S. by name, but accused it of fomenting ideological confrontation when asked about the EU’s “de-risking” strategy. He also warned German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock that Germany risks to lose 2% of its GDP if it decouples from China, quoting a report by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research and the Foundation for Family Businesses.
The EU and several European countries are currently debating how to adjust their strategy towards China. While the high-level visits might improve relations, the EU has also proposed to impose sanctions on Chinese companies for supporting Russia for the first time since the war in Ukraine began, which is likely to increase tensions with Beijing.
The seemingly warming bilateral ties between China and the continent, are in fact facing severe hurdles, as European countries are still bickering about a unified China policy, said experts. At this key junction of restarting the relationship, it is wise for Europe to stick to a strategy of strategic autonomy and refrain from rolling out hostile policies toward China, otherwise it will risk reversing the thawing ties. The sanctions, if imposed, will cause big friction between China and the EU, as China will surely retaliate with countermeasures, Sun Keqin, Research Fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times. Experts warned that when the wound of the tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Xinjiang is yet to be healed, the new round of sanctions could deal a heavy blow to bilateral ties, and thwart cooperation between China and Europe on solving the Ukraine crisis.
During a meeting with Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said cooperation should be the mainstay for ties between Beijing and Lisbon, as well as China and the EU. China has always regarded Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner and advocated that the China-Europe relationship is not targeted at any third party, nor is it subjugated to or controlled by any third party, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in Paris. China and France, as well as China and Europe, should achieve win-win cooperation. “What China exports to Europe and the whole world is sureness rather than risk”, expanding two-way opening up, and building a more stable and trustworthy China-Europe supply chain partnership,” Qin emphasized. “What China brings to the world is opportunities, cooperation, stability and reassurance rather than crisis, confrontation, turbulence and risks”.
The Global Times pointed out the four main problems in the China-Europe relationship: an unnecessary “Ukraine knot”; Europe interfering in China's internal affairs, especially the Taiwan question; seeing the interdependence of China-Europe economic and trade relations as a “risk”; and submission and dependence on Washington's comprehensive containment strategy against China. As long as Europeans change their perspective and view these issues from a strategic and long-term angle, they can be easily resolved, the newspaper added. Adherence to an inclusive worldview, commitment to a progressive view of history, and upholding the perspective of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation should be principles to maintain the stable development of China-Europe relations amid a changing and volatile international situation, Minister Qin Gang said at the end of the three-nation European tour.
This overview is based on reports by the China Daily, Global Times and South China Morning Post.
