[Epoch Times, July 05, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Zhang Ting comprehensive report) Bloomberg quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron are expected to hold video calls this week.
People familiar with the matter said that the current agenda is unclear.
This video conference was planned amid rising tensions between Europe and China. Bloomberg pointed out that when the once friendly relations between the EU and China are rifted due to the stalled trade agreement and human rights sanctions, the outcome of any talks between the three leaders will be closely watched.
Regarding the video call planned by Germany, France, and China, officials from the three countries did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.
China-EU relations have been deteriorating in recent months. In March of this year, the European Union imposed sanctions on four CCP officials and one entity who violated human rights in Xinjiang. This is the first time that the EU has imposed sanctions on the CCP’s human rights violations in more than 30 years. The CCP subsequently imposed retaliatory sanctions on European parliamentarians, scholars and think tanks, a move that triggered strong condemnation by the European Union. The European Parliament subsequently passed the freezing of the China-EU Investment Agreement by an overwhelming number of votes in May. And six months ago, Beijing was still celebrating this major strategic victory.
On June 15, US President Biden met with EU leaders at the EU headquarters. The two sides emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for the first time in a joint statement and encouraged the peaceful settlement of cross-strait issues. The statement also mentioned the South China Sea issue, the persecution of human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet, Hong Kong’s autonomy and the erosion of the democratic process, and other issues that have touched the Chinese Communist Party’s sensitive nerves.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on June 15 that China (the CCP) record in human rights is the main reason that separates the EU from Beijing.
Editor in charge: Li Yuan#
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