EU Council President Charles Michel traveled to Beijing today, Thursday. On the agenda is a meeting with the Chinese head of state and party leader Xi Jinping. The two politicians will talk about future relations between the EU and China, but also about climate change and the war in Ukraine.
At the reception, Xi Jinping assured the EU of coordination and strengthened strategic communication. Member states must create a correct and objective perception of China, the ruler said. Relations have deteriorated noticeably recently. For example, Beijing and the EU quarreled over Chinese support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, sanctions against EU politicians and human rights violations. The EU sees China as a “partner, competitor and rival” at the same time. The country plays an important role in tackling global and regional challenges, which is why discussions and cooperation will be sought, according to the European Union.
Reliable supply chains
In the future, safety, stability and reliability of industrial supply chains must be ensured together, said Xi Jinping. The People’s Republic will remain open to European companies, he promised. Conversely, the Head of State and Government hopes for a fair and transparent business climate for Chinese companies in the EU.
Council President Michel has only one day to talk to Xi Jinping. The background to this is that strict corona measures still apply in China. The President of the Council of the EU is isolated. He is the first EU leader to visit since the start of the pandemic.
Security forces prevent protests
In addition, he is also the first foreign politician to meet Xi Jinping after the recent wave of protests against the zero-Covid policy. Thousands of people demonstrated last weekend to express their displeasure with the lockdowns, forced quarantine, mass testing and constant monitoring of the Corona app. Since then, security forces have largely prevented renewed protests.
Source: Krone
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