We cooperate, but don’t get involved and don’t be swayed by the Americans. This, in essence, the message delivered by Xi Jinping ad Angela Merkel in the first phone call between the Chinese president and the German chancellor after the EU’s decision to impose sanctions on four senior Chinese officials for the systematic violation of human rights. In response, Beijing imposed sanctions on European politicians and institutions. “I hope that the European Union will take the right decisions and achieve its own strategic autonomy,” Xi said according to state TV. Cctv.
Xi’s is a clear reference to the efforts of the American president Joe Biden to induce Europe to take a tougher line with Beijing: “Let’s eliminate the disturbing actions”, underlined the Chinese leader during an interview with the Chancellor. The US, UK and Canada have also imposed restrictive measures against Beijing. Washington even went so far as to air the hypothesis of boycotting the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022. A diplomatic paraphernalia that comes straight from the Cold War.
Xi then expressed the hope that the EU will orient itself to a strategic perspective and “avoid meddling”. And he added that “at the moment relations between China and the EU are facing new development opportunities, but also various challenges”.
In December, under pressure mainly from Germany, Brussels signed an investment agreement with Beijing after years of negotiations. But the ferocious repression of the Uyghurs and other minorities in China has prompted the Union to take action against Beijing.
Second Politico the Chinese president would also underline the importance of relations between Beijing and Berlin: “We have been Germany’s largest trading partner for five years”. He would have reminded her: “We hope that Germany will remain available to deepen cooperation with Chinese companies”.
A spokesperson for Merkel reports that the chancellor would not have reacted to Xi’s thrusts and would have insisted on the importance of dialogue, “including that on issues on which there are differences of opinion”. The two would also have talked about the international production of vaccines, the efforts in the fight against climate change and the promotion of biodiversity.
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