In addition to meetings with European leaders and foreign ministers. munich security conferenceForeign Minister Wang Yi visited. France and Spain. While the conference presented its annual report on a “lose-lose” basis, Mr. Wang was determined to turn his attendance at the conference into a “win-win” situation.
Despite China Russian support During the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, the 12-point policy effectively failed. peace proposal and Beijing’s reluctance In the Red Sea Crisis, Mr. Wang highlighted China wants to act as a “solid force for stability” in the world. More importantly, he focused on the future of EU-China cooperation, saying, “China and Europe are the world’s two great powers, markets and civilizations.”
Looking to the United States and its recovery Close ties across the Atlantic Under the Biden administration, China and Europe will move away from geopolitical and ideological distractions, see each other as partners rather than rivals, inject positive energy into a volatile world, and find a way to overcome challenges together. Wang said it is essential to work together to demonstrate the ”.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Álvarez (left) and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hold a press conference after their meeting in the Mudéjar courtyard of the Alcazar in Cordoba, Spain, on February 18. Photo: AFP
The elephant in the room was the possible return of President Donald Trump us election in November. A significant change in the US government’s foreign policy could encourage Europe to pursue a more independent global policy, which would benefit China.Beijing Looks like they’re getting ready This is to finally realize the “strategic autonomy” of Europe that has long been advocated by France’s deep-rooted Gorlist foreign policy tendencies.
Wang then joined a number of European policymakers, including EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. I had a meeting with Mr. China’s message to all these meetings emphasized the need for both sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and bilateral development.
Mr. Wang’s carefully orchestrated meeting agenda at the Munich conference showed that China is re-prioritizing Europe on its foreign policy agenda. Group 20, Foreign ministers meeting At the same time, the king chose to attend a conference in Europe and sent his deputy. Ma Zhaoxu Go to Brazil instead.
After China’s strict “zero coronavirus” pandemic policy, China has appeared on the important international stage and is stepping up efforts to symbolize to the world that China is once again open for business.
On February 21, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu attended the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on behalf of Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his stay in Europe. Photo: AFP
The king’s next schedule was short Travel to Madrid He will meet with Spain’s King Felipe VI, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Álvarez. The two countries agreed to a “fair, just and non-discriminatory business relationship,” and the Chinese government lifted a 24-year ban on beef imports from Spain.
Final destination of Mr. Wang’s European tour was in paris, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and other officials. Unsurprisingly, among the topics discussed were promoting free and fair trade and deepening strategic cooperation.
The real battleground of the US-China Cold War is in Europe
Mr Wang argued that Paris and the EU needed to play an independent and “constructive role” in world affairs, while Mr Macron said China needed to do so. put pressure on Russia “Return to the negotiating table” with a credible proposal to end the war in Ukraine.
The countries Wang visited are among the most diplomatically active countries in the EU. Just recently, they followed a similar path of creating something new. Strategy against China and Work on “risk avoidance”. Beijing may be hoping that Berlin and Paris will turn to China in the wake of a potentially isolationist second Trump administration, but that Germany and France will abandon longtime allies. This is unlikely to be an advantage for China.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (right) welcomes Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong at government headquarters in Budapest, Hungary, on February 16. Photo: EPA-EFE
While the Foreign Minister is busy in Western Europe, the Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, traveled to Budapest He was there to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. During his visit, he also met with Hungarian Interior Minister Sander Pinter and finalized an agreement on law enforcement and security cooperation.
While Beijing may see this as a successful first step in its efforts to forge closer ties with European countries, Hungary is an outlier among EU member states, and in recent years has I’m strengthening it.
After the foreign minister’s trip to Europe, Chinese and European officials met in Brussels to discuss cooperation on issues such as cars and critical minerals.
However, nothing is set in stone for China-Europe relations, especially with the EU’s next decision. Blacklist some Chinese companies Charged with supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Regardless of whether the United States remains a reliable ally, Europe will need to decide in the coming months how to forge its own path. It remains unclear whether China’s charm offensive will be effective in reversing the growing trend of “risk aversion” in relations in Europe and turning the tide in China’s favor.
Dr. Klaus W. Lares is the Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Lee Thome is a Schwarzman Fellow at the Wilson Center affiliated with the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States.
