EU plans to urge China to stop acting as Russia’s lifeline
Photo: High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas (flickr.com valstskanceleja)
The European Union will urge China to stop supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine and to rebalance its trade relationship with the EU. Beijing cannot deepen ties with Europe while acting as a lifeline for the Kremlin, stated EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, according to Andalucia Informacion.
Ahead of her meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Kallas said she would call on Beijing to end its role as a backer of Russia.
She emphasized that China cannot enable a war in Europe while seeking closer cooperation with the continent, and that Beijing must resolve this contradiction.
"In a volatile world, Beijing should use its growing strength to uphold international law," Kallas added.
Purpose of the Kallas–Wang Yi meeting
The meeting, held as part of the Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, is seen as preparation for the upcoming EU–China summit scheduled for the end of July.
The High Representative noted that China is one of the EU's largest trading partners and that there are opportunities to strengthen cooperation on multilateral issues. While she said China is not an adversary, she emphasized that relations in the security sphere are becoming increasingly tense.
She said Chinese companies are acting as a lifeline for Moscow, enabling it to continue its war against Ukraine. She also accused Beijing of carrying out cyberattacks, interfering in European democracies, and engaging in unfair trade practices.
At the same time, she highlighted what senior European sources describe as a list of issues on which the EU believes the Asian giant must take concrete steps to improve its relationship with Brussels.
Kallas also pointed to China’s role in the Indo-Pacific, where she said actions against Taiwan are threatening stability. She emphasized the importance of diplomacy to raise difficult issues in relations with China.
Last month, it became known that the EU leadership is planning to ban European companies from working with two Chinese banks that helped Russia circumvent existing trade restrictions.
It was also recently reported that Moscow’s economic dependence on Beijing has become more evident, as Russia has sharply increased its metal exports to China.
