Paris. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, disagreements over trade: the talks between Xi, Macron and von der Leyen are tough. Can Europeans hope to influence China’s leader?
Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, economic relations and climate protection: There is a lot on the agenda when French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet today with the head of state and leader of the party of China, Xi Jinping.
According to Macron, everything must be done to involve China in major global issues. It is in the interests of Europeans to “ensure that China is committed to the stability of the international order”. Specifically, the Elysee Palace hopes that China, as one of Russia’s most important partners during the visit, can be encouraged to use its influence over Moscow to help resolve the conflict.
Macron also wanted to address concerns about some Chinese companies participating in the Russian war effort, he said. There are repeated accusations against Chinese companies of supplying Russia with so-called dual-use goods – that is, goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. The US, for example, has already sanctioned Chinese companies.
Von der Leyen: Current imbalances are unacceptable
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made it clear before the meeting that the European Union will no longer tolerate current Chinese subsidies and trade practices. “Due to its weak domestic demand, China is currently producing more than it sells with massive subsidies,” the top politician said. This leads to an oversupply of subsidized Chinese products such as electric vehicles and steel, which in turn leads to unfair trade.
“Europe cannot accept such market-distorting practices that could lead to deindustrialization in Europe,” said von der Leyen. It will encourage the Chinese government to resolve excess capacity in the short term. At the same time, we will coordinate closely with states in the G7 group of large democratic industrialized nations, as well as emerging countries that are also affected.
Von der Leyen also described current imbalances in market access as “unsustainable”. “We must act to ensure that competition is fair and not distorted,” he warned. The European Commission had already announced last year that it would examine possible punitive tariffs on electric cars from China. The EU accuses Chinese electric car makers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC of massive government subsidies that give them an unfair advantage in the global market.
Before the meeting with Xi, Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU was not seeking decoupling from China. The relationship with the country is one of the most complex, but also one of the most important, he said.
China has no interest in supporting Ukraine
In a guest article in the French newspaper Le Figaro, Xi wrote that China is neither a party nor a participant in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They hope that peace and stability will soon return to Europe and want to work together with France and the international community to find good ways to resolve the crisis.
However, China expert Marc Julienne assumes that Beijing has no interest in intervening with Ukraine, as he told the ARD Paris studio. “He has no interest, no desire and so he tries to stay as far away as possible.”
It is also necessary to point out the contradictory attitude of China, which considers itself an actor of peace but does not condemn Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, said the head of the Asian Center at the French Institute of International Relations Ifri. He does not believe that the negotiations in Paris will change much. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we have many levers to move China.”
Julienne: “China needs the European market”
However, the situation is different when it comes to economic issues, which will also be discussed in Paris. “China needs the European market,” says Julienne. Before Xi’s visit, Macron had called for economic behavior that was respectful towards China but protected Europe’s own interests. The French head of state is concerned, among other things, with fairer conditions of competition.
Germany is not sitting at the consultation table in Paris, unlike Xi’s last visit to France in 2019. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) himself was recently in China and also discussed in advance with Macron at a private dinner in Paris on Thursday- fair.
“Chancellor (Olaf) Scholz cannot be present, but we agreed at our meeting last Thursday”, said Macron in an interview published yesterday in the newspapers “La Provence” and “La Tribune Dimanche”. He will receive von der Leyen before the joint talk with Xi. Macron stressed: “This allows us to unite Europeans and position ourselves as a force”.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240506-99-927601/3 (dpa)