BEIJING
Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Friday told the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that the EU must further “clarify” its position on its strategic partnership with Beijing after leaders called for reducing dependence on China. The launch of an EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership in 2003 promised to take ties between the Union and Beijing beyond trade and investment. However, since 2019, the 27-nation bloc has termed China as an “economic competitor” and a “systemic rival.” Beijing’s close ties with Russia after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine have served to increase their wariness.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Jakarta, Wang told Borrell that China and the EU must strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation, and the bloc should not “waver”, let alone encourage back-pedal in words and actions, a release from China’s foreign ministry read. Last month, EU leaders committed to lessening the area’s dependence on China and debated how to strike a balance between “de-risking” and cooperating in areas such as climate change. In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said China’s hardening position required Europe to “de-risk” both in economic and diplomatic terms. The Commission has also urged EU members to agree to stronger controls on exports and the flow of military technologies by “countries of concern”. During his meeting with Borrell, Wang called on both sides to guard against “the politicisation of economic issues” and the use of de-risking as another term for “decoupling”. According to Wang, there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and the EU. Taking to Twitter, Borrell described his discussion with Wang on managing EU-China relations as “constructive” and “in-depth”.
As for Ukraine, Wang said Beijing supports a “balanced, effective and sustainable” European security architecture, and will continue to promote talks for peace and play a constructive role in seeking a political settlement of the crisis.
Borrell tweeted that he “expressed EU expectations as to China’s role to help ending Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to provide humanitarian assistance”. The two also discussed “preserving stability and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait”.