The visit of the head of European diplomacy to China, twice postponed, finally takes place in an even more tense international context. Josep Borrell, who landed yesterday in Shanghai, gave his most important speech this Friday at Peking University, in which he called “to restore trust between China and the EU.”
Before meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy denied that the EU intends to “stop the rise of China.” “On the contrary, we want greater Chinese involvement in the fight against climate change, for example.”
The Chinese media, all of them pro-government, greet with suspicion the European claim of “risk reduction” in its relationship with the world’s factory. The new terminology is somewhat less aggressive than the “decoupling” on the lips of many at the end of the pandemic and at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
That does not mean that Chinese diplomacy is passive. This year has sponsored the resounding restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose rivalry contributed decisively to fueling, in recent years, the wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. But this reconciliation is seen with open hostility on the part of Israel and more concealed on the part of the United States.
Following the bloodletting of Hamas two Saturdays ago, Washington misses an unequivocal condemnation from Beijing, as it already reproached it following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Brussels wants the People’s Republic to do more against climate change but to help less for its electric car industry, in which it has an advantage. This month, the EU made a list of areas, such as artificial intelligence, in which it wants to toughen its stances towards China.
The Chinese Communist Party, for its part, criticizes the “protectionist” turn of the West, arrogating to itself the unexpected role of major champion of globalization, even if it is “with Chinese characteristics.” Borrell, for his part, complained about the restrictions on European companies in China and regretted the growing imbalance in the trade balance in favor of Beijing.
The head of European diplomacy has said that the bloc’s position has not changed regarding Taiwan, which none of its members recognizes as an independent state. The situation is different with respect to Palestine. In Western Europe, only Sweden recognizes the Palestinian state – as does China and most of the world – but in Eastern Europe, almost all the states that were on the other side of the Iron Curtain – today members of the EU – have maintained double recognition of Palestine and Israel.
Brussels is aware of the effort of Chinese diplomacy to present itself as a supporter of developing countries, even though it is the second world economic power. “Europe is also in favor of multilateralism, but we must explain what is proposed, what replaces what.”
From China’s perspective, the Ukrainian civil war, now internationalized and to whose genesis it did not contribute, is a setback for its New Silk Roads. Putting the blame on China, according to Beijing, is a way of passing the buck on the worsening of inequalities in Western societies.
Without forgetting that, after three years dealing with concepts such as “decoupling” or “risk reduction”, the European trade deficit with China has never been so large. Certainly, the Chinese economy is also slowing, largely due to the slowdown in American investments and imports, in addition to its own real estate bubble. But the engine of the European economy, Germany, is in recession.
Borrell’s visit comes after two failed attempts. In April, on his own initiative after having tested positive for Covid, and in July at the request of China, due to the imbroglio related to the disappearance and subsequent dismissal of the then Foreign Minister Qin Gang.
The Chinese media criticizes the EU for its “following” of the US and reiterates that greater autonomy for Europe would result in benefits for all parties. Europe, for its part, calls China a “systemic rival.” Borrell’s official visit, which began on Thursday with a meeting with European companies in Shanghai, ends this Saturday. One of his objectives is to prepare the ground for a China-EU summit before the end of the year, under the Spanish presidency.
Coinciding with Borrell’s visit to Beijing, an individual allegedly stabbed an employee of the Israeli embassy in the Chinese capital – although far from the legation – before fleeing. The images circulating on the networks show abundant traces of blood on the sidewalk. The identity of the attacker and the severity of the injuries are unknown at this time.
For years, China has been heavily criticized by several Western governments for its draconian measures to combat jihadism in Xinjian, presented as an attack against the Uyghur religious and cultural identity. This time, against the backdrop of the bombing of dozens of Gaza buildings by Israeli warplanes in the name of the fight against Hamas, there has been no mention of Chinese “heavy hand” on the European side.
