On Monday, May 6, French President Macron met with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in Paris along with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. During the meeting, the European Union exerted pressure on Xi regarding trade and geopolitical issues.
Von der Leyen stated after the meeting that the discussions in Paris covered geopolitical issues, climate concerns, and the economic relationship between Europe and China.
The meeting between Xi and European leaders occurred amidst escalating tensions in the commercial sphere. The EU initiated trade investigations concerning Chinese wind turbines, medical equipment, and the influx of cheap Chinese electric cars into Europe, while China retaliated with a probe into French brandy imports.
According to reports from Reuters, Macron emphasized during the meeting the need for Europe and China to address structural challenges, particularly in the realm of trade.
“The future of Europe will evidently depend on whether we can further develop our relationship with China in a balanced manner,” Macron said.
Von der Leyen was more forthright in her statements, mentioning that unequal market access and Chinese government subsidies have harmed the EU-China relationship.
She asserted that the EU “cannot absorb a large amount of overproduced Chinese industrial goods flooding its market.”
“Europe will steadfastly make difficult decisions to protect its market,” she added.
Von der Leyen’s stance on trade with China aligns with that of ally the United States. On April 5, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated during her visit to China that the US would not tolerate its new industries being “destroyed” by cheap Chinese imports.
Yellen stressed that China’s overcapacity greatly exceeds domestic demand as well as the global market’s capacity.
Xi Jinping, on the other hand, advocated for Sino-European cooperation. In brief public remarks before the meeting, he expressed that relations with Europe are a top priority in Beijing’s foreign policy and both sides should uphold dialogue and cooperation.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, speaking at a Franco-Chinese business forum, mentioned that both sides could support their domestic industries legally, but any such policies must be fair and reciprocal.
“We are far from achieving balance currently,” he added, stating that the era of “happy globalization” has come to an end and urging the EU to employ more tools to rebalance EU-China trade.
French officials also expressed hope to urge Beijing to open the Chinese market to French agricultural exports and address concerns of the French cosmetics industry regarding intellectual property.
Apart from trade issues, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine was also a sensitive topic in the bilateral relationship between Europe and China during the Paris meeting.
Von der Leyen mentioned that the first issue discussed at the meeting was the geopolitical situation, particularly the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and issues in the Middle East. The EU urged Beijing to utilize all its influence over Russia to end the invasion war by Russian forces in Ukraine.
In her remarks, the EU raised concerns about Chinese enterprises transporting dual-use goods to Russia.
“Given the existential threat that this war poses to Ukraine and Europe, it certainly affects the EU-China relationship,” she emphasized.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the strongest terms, voiced American disapproval of China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing on April 26.
He pointed out that China is Russia’s largest supplier in crucial areas such as mechanical tools, microelectronics, nitrated fibers (essential for manufacturing ammunition and rocket propellants), and other dual-use products. “Moscow is using these products to bolster its defense industry base, which is producing rockets, drones, tanks, and other weapons. Without China’s (Communist Party’s) support, Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine.”
During the Paris meeting, the EU also brought up issues in the Middle East and urged Beijing to play a certain role in restricting the irresponsible proliferation of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.