China's strategic influence: A key player in Russia's war
Without the support of China, Russia would not be able to conduct the war on such a scale, assessed the European Commission in the context of Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow. At the same time, Brussels emphasises that the upcoming EU–China summit may provide an opportunity to rebuild relations with Beijing.
- China is still a key player in enabling Russia to wage war - said El Anouni, commenting on the Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow starting on Wednesday. Xi is the most important foreign leader who will participate in the military parade on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The EC spokesperson Paula Pinho noted China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, had a "responsibility to call out what are obvious breaches of the UN Charter," such as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing simply refers to as a "crisis".
The Commission refers to the situation in the broader context of the upcoming EU–China summit, which is to be held at the end of July in Beijing. The meeting aims to strengthen cooperation and discuss contentious issues, such as the overproduction of Chinese companies or relations with Russia.
The European Union emphasises that it does not aim to sever ties with China, but to reduce the risk associated with excessive dependence on China. At the same time, the Commission sees potential for cooperation in areas such as trade and climate.
Europe meets with China
In recent months, there have been a series of meetings between EU representatives and Chinese authorities. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, during his April visit to China, advocated for deeper trade cooperation with Beijing. He also criticised the U.S. tariffs imposed on China.
However, experts point out that the further development of relations with Beijing may be hindered by both the Sino-Russian rapprochement and trade tensions. Following the U.S. decision to impose 145 percent tariffs on imports from China, there are concerns in Europe that some of these goods will enter the EU market.
