Relations between China and the EU did not improve during Xi Jinping's visit to Europe.
What is known about the possibility of a deal between China and the EU
The visits to Serbia and Hungary after France illustrate the desire to drive a wedge between Europeans to prevent any consensus in favour of a tougher stance against Beijing. At the same time, Belgrade and Budapest are hosting Xi, giving them another diplomatic foothold amid pressure from the EU against their warm ties with Russia.
During Xi Jinping's meetings in France, there were calls to protect automakers from Chinese ‘overcapacity’ in the production of electric vehicles. Apparently, the EU's anti-subsidy investigation, initiated by France, was not enough.
Paris has also so far managed to avoid the cognac tariffs that Beijing threatened in response. But there have been no tangible changes in the issue that causes divisions — Beijing's favourable stance towards Russia, the author points out.
It is also noted that France is pushing hard for a balance in trade relations. This was similar to the aim of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent trip to Beijing, where he was on a similar errand for corporate Germany.
France, however, is aiming for more than Germany. Only a few weeks ago, Macron called on Europe to be a force that shapes the world around it — beyond, presumably, tariff rates on cognac. Great strategic moves are those that set the world on a different path. This week's missed opportunity was the failure to strike a major deal to achieve that goal, the article says.
Xi Jinping tried to quarrel the EU and the US during his visit to Europe
During his visit to the EU, Chinese leader Xi Jinping tried to influence the European partners' relations with the United States.
The journalists of the publication note that the Chinese leader achieved almost nothing during his visit to France.
However, his visits to Serbia and Hungary proved to be more effective.
Although Xi spoke about the need to avoid a new Cold War, his diplomacy revived the differences of the last war, pitting Eastern Europe against the West, the article says.
It is noted that French leader Emmanuel Macron hoped to establish closer personal ties with Xi Jinping and persuade him to influence Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin and end the criminal war against Ukraine that he has unleashed.
However, the Chinese leader has not actually changed his position on the Kremlin's criminal war against Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also stressed the existential nature of the war, and the Chinese leader called for avoiding criticism of China in this regard.
The journalists of the publication note that Xi Jinping intended to influence EU-US relations by causing a breakdown in them, but he hardly succeeded.
