According to Macron, the goal of the visit is to persuade China to support the Ukrainian peace process. According to von der Leyen, China’s close relationship with Russia affects EU-China relations.
President of France Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will meet the Chinese leader in Beijing today Xi Jinping.
The meeting comes in a situation where relations between China and Western countries have become inflamed.
In the background, the close alliance relationship between China and Russia, as well as China’s possible arms deliveries to Russia, which is waging an illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, has an effect.
China has also expressed its disappointment that the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy met the president of Taiwan in California yesterday Tsai Ing-wen.
China does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, but considers it part of China. China responded to Tsai’s visit to the US by sending several warships near Taiwan.
The goal is to turn China’s head on Ukraine
Macron and Von der Leyen have announced that they intend to try to persuade China to support the Ukraine peace process.
China has not agreed to condemn Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and the country supports Russia without reservation.
China has presented its own peace plan for the war in Ukraine, but experts have criticized it as incomplete and sympathetic to Russia.
Macron, who arrived in Beijing yesterday, said he believes China has a “huge role” in finding peace in Ukraine.
Von der Leyen has been less diplomatic in his wording.
– How China acts in relation to Putin’s war will determine EU-China relations in the future, he said in Brussels last week.
Macron’s visit lasts a total of three days. He first meets Xi one-on-one, after which Von der Leyen joins the company.