Von der Leyen warns China that its role in the war in Ukraine will mark the EU’s relationship with Beijing

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Defends diplomacy with the Asian giant but warns of economic and technological dependencies

BRUSSELS, March 30 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has warned China this Thursday that its relationship with Russia, in the context of the war in Ukraine, will mark the future ties of the European Union with Beijing, pointing out that it must play a constructive role to put an end to the war and rely on Kiev to define a just peace that involves the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

“Peace can only be just if it is based on the defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Kiev will define the terms of a just peace, which involves the withdrawal of invading troops,” he said in a speech at the German think tank MERICS, whose activity focuses on relations with China.

Before her trip next week to Beijing with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the leader of the European Executive has indicated that a peace plan that “consolidates Russian annexations” in Ukrainian territory is “not viable” and has raised the tone to insist that ties with Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine will mark the future of relations between the EU and the Asian giant.

“We must be frank on this point. The way China continues to interact with Putin’s war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations in the future,” he said.

FLEEING “BLACK OR WHITE” WITH CHINA

Von der Leyen has exhibited the traditional tone towards China, being critical of Human Rights violations or the pressure on Taiwan, while insisting that there are opportunities for cooperation and stressing the EU’s intention to have more economic relations. balanced, fleeing from “black or white” in dealing with the Asian giant.

In his opinion, it is of “vital importance” to maintain diplomatic stability and open communication with Beijing. “It is not feasible, nor is it in Europe’s interest, to disassociate itself from China. Our relations are not black or white, and neither can our response be,” he stressed, citing the climate issue, financial stability or the nuclear non-proliferation.

On the contrary, the head of the Community Executive has alerted the economic and technological dependencies and the need to “reduce risks” in ties with China, which is still a “vital commercial partner” that represents 9 percent of exports European countries and 20 percent of imports to the bloc.

Thus, he has warned of an “imbalanced” relationship and impacted by the “distortions” generated by Chinese public aid, in what Von der Leyen has described as the “State capitalist system of China”. “We need to rebalance this relationship on the basis of transparency, predictability and reciprocity”, he has stated.

After underlining the dependence that Europe has on aspects such as raw materials or rare materials, the German conservative has advocated for the bloc to equip itself with instruments to defend critical sectors such as robotics and artificial intelligence or plans to diversify the supply of magnesium or lithium.

UNITED EU RESPONSE

In any case, Von der Leyen wanted to close his speech with a call for unity among Europeans, insisting that the EU must prepare to manage the relationship with China. “We must do it together. At this decisive moment on the world agenda, we need that collective will to respond together,” he defended.

In this way, he has urged the Twenty-seven to agree on a “solid European policy” with respect to Beijing, based on “strong coordination between the Member States and the EU institutions”, in the face of the possible strategy of division on the European continent. .

“I want to say that nothing is inevitable in geopolitics”, summed up the president of the European Commission, to insist that the EU still has to write the future of its relationship with China, which does not have to be marked by a “defensive” approach “.