Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to embark on a European tour, visiting France, Serbia, and Hungary, in a bid to strengthen economic ties with the European Union. This move comes amid growing tensions between the U.S. and China, with the EU aligning itself more closely with the U.S.
What Happened: Xi’s visit to the EU, his first in five years, is seen as an attempt to sway the EU away from the U.S. The EU has recently taken a tougher stance on China, aligning itself more closely with the U.S., reported Bloomberg.
The Chinese leader’s trip is scheduled for May 5 and will include meetings with leaders from France, Serbia, and Hungary. These countries are seeking Chinese investment despite ongoing EU investigations into Beijing’s industrial policies and warnings from U.S. officials.
During his visit to France, President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly seek Xi’s assistance in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Macron also aims to attract Chinese investment into France’s electric vehicle battery sector.
Xi’s visit coincides with the EU’s increasing unity with the U.S. in opposition to China’s economic practices and perceived national security threats. This has led to a growing distrust in Brussels, with Germany recently arresting alleged Chinese spies.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have joined forces in challenging the U.S.-led world order, which Beijing claims is attempting to stifle its progress. Xi’s visit to Belgrade, a non-EU member state, coincides with the 25th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of China’s embassy in the Serbian capital, an event that solidified the
During the Europe trip, Russian President Putin will also be inaugurated for a fifth term, which Xi has congratulated him on, highlighting a pro-Russia policy that has heightened tensions between Beijing and Brussels.
Una Aleksandra Berzina-Cerenkova, director of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University, noted that Xi is visiting nations where expressing opposition to the U.S.-led global security architecture is more straightforward.
By garnering support from sympathetic nations, Beijing aims to convey the message that "Europe is on China's side, no matter what Brussels says," she added.
Analysts see Xi’s trip as an attempt to persuade the EU that better relations are possible and to pull parts of Europe towards a more sympathetic position.
"China needs to give a clearer message to the European public that it is still a reliable partner," said Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University and a former diplomat. That boils down to one thing, he added: "Providing more favorable policies to European countries and companies."
Why It Matters: Xi’s visit to the EU comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the U.S. The EU, traditionally seen as a buffer between the two superpowers, is now aligning itself more closely with the U.S, as evidenced by the recent visit of U.S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to Beijing to discuss China’s overcapacity.
China’s visit to the EU also follows a warning from the EU’s top diplomat in Asia, Niclas Kvarnstrom, about China’s support for Russia and its significant trade surplus with the EU as major obstacles to improved relations.
Despite these challenges, China is continuing to strengthen its economic ties with Europe. Xi’s visit is seen as an attempt to persuade the EU that better options are possible and to pull parts of Europe towards a more sympathetic position, according to the report.
Meanwhile, China’s major banks have reportedly halted transactions related to Russia, due to concerns over U.S. sanctions. This has led to a surge in the use of alternative channels for payments, including cryptocurrency, by Chinese companies conducting business with Russia.
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