Brussels, Beijing EU leaders have warned China against supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine under threat of consequences. After a summit meeting organized via video conference, there were no signs on Friday that the leadership in Beijing could give up its backing for Moscow.
Head of government Li Keqiang and head of state and party leader Xi Jinping made diplomatic statements, but showed no real concessions. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel found clear words.
“No European citizen would understand if there was any support for Russia’s ability to wage war,” von der Leyen said after the talks. “That would do great damage to China’s reputation here in Europe.” The country also bears a special responsibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
Indirectly, von der Leyen also threatened China with consequences for the close economic relations. “It is clear that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a defining moment not only for our continent, but also for our relationship with the rest of the world.”
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EU Council President Michel said: “We have asked China to make a contribution to the end of the war in Ukraine.” China cannot ignore Russia’s violation of international law.
According to everything that was made known in China about the talks, however, Xi Jinping did not comment in detail on the Ukraine war and only mentioned it in passing. Instead, Xi Jinping attempted to divide Europeans and Americans after the war in Ukraine had brought them even closer together.
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According to his will, the European Union should evade US influence in its China policy: China hopes that the European side “has an independent perception of China and pursues an independent policy towards China,” said Xi Jinping.
Prime Minister Li Keqiang was given the role of saying euphonious words to the Europeans about the Ukraine war in order to put China in a better light. China wants to work with the EU and the world and “play a constructive role to detente the situation, cease hostilities, prevent a major humanitarian disaster and restore peace soon,” he said.
However, this in no way means that China is moving away from Russia or moving in line with the EU. Because when Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited China this week, very different tones were heard.
Since the “boundless” friendship with Russia was invoked. Relations developed in “the right direction”. Both opposed US “hegemony”.
China is sending sobering signals
Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the state media never tire of portraying the USA, the EU and NATO as the main causes of the crisis. Beijing sent out sobering signals shortly before the summit. “No one should force others to choose sides,” said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
He again criticized the West’s sanctions against Russia. The fact that normal trade exchanges with Russia are being “unnecessarily” damaged is a problem, the spokesman said. The problem is not which country wants to help Russia circumvent the sanctions.
Perhaps precisely because of the massive differences, Council President Michel welcomed on Twitter that the video summit was “a timely and necessary opportunity for dialogue”. The EU’s main concern was to make it clear that the war is likely to change not only Europe’s view of relations with Russia, but also with other countries. Accordingly, the close economic relations with China could also be called into question if Beijing does not distance itself more clearly from Russia.
The EU hopes that the leadership in Beijing will be aware of the EU’s importance as an economic partner. In 2021, goods worth around 700 billion euros were traded between China and the 27 EU countries – making the EU by far China’s most important trading partner. Russia does not even appear in the list of China’s top ten trading partners.
Instead, the USA is in second place after the EU, and has even threatened China with sanctions in the event of clear material support from Russia. Punitive measures are to be imposed in particular if Chinese companies or banks circumvent US sanctions against Russia.
Von der Leyen wants to give China incentives
Meanwhile, the EU is still using incentives and wants to solve other problems in the relationship. The EU wants to help China fight the corona pandemic, but at the same time expects concessions in other areas.
One is willing to share and support expertise, said von der Leyen and specifically named mRNA vaccines. But it was also made clear to China that a number of differences needed to be addressed. As an example, von der Leyen cited Beijing’s sanctions against members of the European Parliament, restricted access to the Chinese market, human rights issues and China’s actions against Lithuania.
One way or another, China has to adjust to the fact that some things will change in economic relations with the EU in the next few years and that its competitive practices will no longer be tolerated. For example, work is currently underway in the EU on new instruments for trade policy retaliation, barriers for state-sponsored companies or sanctions for discrimination against European companies in public tenders.
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