EU to warn China of consequences of possible support for Russia
The European Union intends to support the United States in warning China if it tries to help Russia evade Western sanctions imposed after its attack on Ukraine. In this regard, they are coordinating ahead of a virtual summit with the Asian giant at the beginning of April.
US President Joe Biden will discuss the issue with European leaders in Brussels on Thursday. Bloomberg, a financial news agency, added that the president hopes to "send a joint message" to Beijing. China's stance on the conflict in Ukraine is in the spotlight, and relations with the EU are at a key moment.
The bloc wants to encourage China to take a responsible stance, highlighting the important role it plays in international defence. The Russian invasion will be the focus of talks between Ursula von der Leyen, leader of the European Commission, and Xi Jinping, China's ruler.
Asian Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, will also be present at the meeting. Most member states want a non-threatening approach to the issue "as they do not want to isolate Beijing".
A European diplomat said the EU wanted to maintain its own approach rather than repeat Washington's approach. So far, China has taken a neutral stance on the Moscow-Kiev war to avoid angering the Kremlin. However, several senior officials have defended Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Members of Biden's administration have expressed frustration with the EU's refusal to alert the East on its behaviour. Europe's economy relies heavily on exports and is concerned about the possible repercussions of its public criticism of Xi Jinping's neutrality.
Washington expects Brussels to send a similar message, as a spokesman for the US National Security Council said. A conditioning factor for this to happen is the repetition of Russian conspiracy theories regarding the alleged use of Ukrainian biological laboratories by the US territory.
For its part, the UN argues that there is no evidence to support such a claim and does not rule out Russian President Vladimir Putin taking the opportunity to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine and accuse others.
China, too, has adopted the Kremlin's anti-NATO narrative, and Xi Jinping, in a joint statement with Russia, opposed 'further expansion of the Alliance'. Its diplomats blame the US for the confrontation as a result of the Atlantic Alliance's growth.
Bloomberg noted that Beijing has tried not to adopt the same relations with Europe that it has with Joe Biden. EU ambassadors were informed that the Asian nation is not circumventing sanctions imposed by the bloc on Moscow. Numerous companies have temporarily suspended their operations in Russia.
There are also fears that Eastern companies will fill the vacuum left by Western firms that have ceased operations on Russian territory. Brussels' position on the virtual dialogue with the Chinese leader differs from that of the last summit two years ago.
The two sides reached an investment agreement in December 2020. It is currently frozen after China imposed sanctions on European lawmakers following the bloc's actions over alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, in the northwest of the country.
Since then, the EU has stepped up its actions against Chinese government support for economic sectors. And it "lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation over Beijing's coercive practices against Lithuania".
Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel are to express their support for the Lithuanian region and it is known that state parties have been asked to report on the recommendation to lift the sanctions imposed on Vilnius. Cooperation on issues such as global warming and human rights will also be discussed at the forthcoming virtual meeting.
