Borrell hopes to travel to China in October, a step prior to a summit before the end of the year

BRUSSELS, 18 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The European Union hopes that the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, will travel to China in October on a visit that will serve to consolidate the dialogue at the highest level and close the celebration of the summit between the EU and China.

After seeing Borrell’s visit canceled twice in recent months, European diplomacy hopes that the strategic dialogue with Beijing will take place in the autumn, with October as the foreseeable deadline, and serve as preparation for a future summit between the EU and China before the end of the year, have indicated European sources.

Behind the High Representative’s trip is consolidating the relationship with China and reaffirming the dialogue at the highest level with the Asian giant, once Beijing has resumed state visits after the pandemic.

“To prepare for a proper summit we need to hold a trade and strategic dialogue, which will serve to set a position and understand China’s position,” the sources said.

The High Representative met with Yi Wang, the Chinese president’s top foreign policy adviser, during the ASEAN summit in Indonesia, where Europe expressed its intention to deepen mutual engagement on common global challenges.

In April, the Chinese authorities canceled Borrell’s trip due to his positive for coronavirus, a situation that was repeated in April for scheduling reasons. From EU diplomacy, it was seen then as an optimal moment to visit China in view of the booming geopolitical moment with the war in Ukraine and after the opening shown by the United States with the trip of the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to Beijing in mid-June. in which he defended reaching agreements with the Asian giant and managing the relationship responsibly.