Sinologist: The goals of Xi Jinping’s visit are several and different | iRADIO

What is the goal of the Chinese president’s visit to Europe and why did he choose France, Hungary and Serbia?
The goals of Xi Jinping’s visit are several and differ from country to country depending on who Xi Jinping will be dealing with. In general, one of the main goals will be to strengthen economic relations across the European Union and beyond, given that one of the visits will be to Belgrade, Serbia.

For the European Union, one can talk about the main goal of some reduction of pressure on Chinese companies, which have recently begun to dominate electromobility and green technologies. And at the same time, the strengthening of investments in Hungary and Serbia, which are often directed to these sectors as well.

However, among other reasons beyond the economic plane, there will also be the goal of improving China’s image on the European continent, which has been tarnished since the covid-19 pandemic and at the same time due to China’s rapprochement with the Russian Federation since the beginning of the aggression in Ukraine.

In this regard, Xi Jinping will seek to show a more conciliatory attitude, abandoning the earlier wolf warrior diplomacy and, so to speak, burying the hatchet. In this sector, he certainly does not have to worry about the attitude of Hungary and Serbia, where, on the contrary, he will rather seek to undermine the unity of the Union and European countries, as regards precisely the attitudes towards the People’s Republic of China and the penetration of its influence, whether economic or otherwise.

So we can mention, for example, that Beijing was the biggest source of investment for Hungary last year. In Serbia, investments are also growing, especially in green energy, and we can talk about the construction of solar, wind power plants and even companies for the production of sodium.

But specifically with Serbia, one more important level will be that Xi Jinping will land on the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, so in this respect it will serve as a kind of tool for him to define himself against the West and NATO, which he of course perceives as potential threat to their interests.

Current attitudes of countries where You areJin–pching aims, varies. Why did you choose France, how is it crucial for China?
So the mentioned points, showing a conciliatory face and at the same time delimiting oneself towards the West and NATO are contradictory when we look at it. So the question is whether Xi Jinping will be able to play this balancing act – on the one hand rapprochement with the European Union’s Trojan horse with Hungary, on the other hand with the support of the regime in Belgrade and at the same time being a kind of auxiliary actor, regarding for example the conflict in Ukraine and at the same time trying to improving relations with France.

France, however, it should be noted after Macron’s visit last April, also shows some improvement, i.e. in terms of strengthening mutual ties, and in particular Emmanuel Macron mentions the so-called strategic autonomy of Europe, which means that the influence of the United States should be freed from or limited on our continent. And subsequently, the space created in this way can be used, for example, by great powers in the form of the People’s Republic of China.

What exactly is expected from the negotiations in France, where the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will also be at the meeting with President Macron?
I would say that the meeting in France will have two levels precisely because of the participants. So one of them will be bilateral, economic, purely between the People’s Republic of China and France, where we can mention, for example, the supply of Airbuses as one of the most important components or part of the mutual economic relationship. There are also some agricultural products, luxury goods and others.

But at the pan-European level, which will be represented by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, premium tariffs on Chinese companies will definitely play a role there in the matter of electromobility and green technologies. After all, last month the European Commission began to investigate suspicions of illegal subsidies by the Chinese state for its companies in wind turbines, and already some half a year ago it was the same issue with Chinese electric cars.

So You are Jinping he will clearly want to reduce some concerns on the part of the European Commission and European states and encourage the further flow of Chinese enterprises to our market.

How realistic is it that Xi Jinping will be convinced by Macron and von der Leyen to intervene in the conflict in Ukraine, or to limit the supply of various weapons components and so on to Russia? And will they address topics regarding the Middle East?
Undoubtedly, the current conflicts, whether in Ukraine or in the Middle East, will play a role in the dialogue with you are jinping or even a trialogue, if we include Ursula von der Leyen. In this regard, European statesmen will seek to somehow once again put pressure on Beijing to stop supporting the Russian Federation.

Although understandably so You are Jinping constantly claims that it is a neutral actor, that China is neither a participant nor a party in this conflict, but despite the proclaimed neutrality, we can detect support, both in the economic sphere, which has really been growing rapidly since the beginning of the conflict, and in the diplomatic sphere through various supports going in favor of the Russian Federation, or even in that information, when China clearly takes over the narratives and framing of the entire conflict, among other things as a result of the involvement of the United States and NATO in Ukraine.

So neither Macron nor von der Leyen will have an easy position in this regard, so miracles are certainly not to be expected and the only benefit that, for example, Macron’s visit last April produced was that You are Jinping at least he called Ukrainian President Zelensky for the first time, but it is really impossible to expect that there would be some kind of turnaround there, given the alliance and the same perception of the world order and the need for its reconstruction on the part of Russia and China.

It is possible that Macron and von der Leyen will want to use the issue of tariffs and their possible imposition on Chinese companies as a kind of leverage to put more pressure on China, and it will then apply or transfer that pressure to Russia. The question here is whether it will have exactly the desired effect, and will not, on the contrary, be the way to some harsher reaction from China, which, among other things, has a monopoly on the production and processing of many rare metals that European industry needs.

So in that respect, the response could be even harsher or have greater implications for European industry. The question is how much it would help mutual debates.

And as far as the Middle East is concerned, similarly to the case of Ukraine, where pro-Russian neutrality is spoken of, since the beginning of the conflict, or rather since the attack by Hamas on Israeli territory and civilians, we can speak of pro-Palestinian neutrality, when again China poses as a peacemaker , unbiased, impartial, but understandably has its own interests in the region, including a very close ally in the form of Iran.

So here the question will be how much similar pressure can be exerted, because China is very well considering both its position and the consumption of oil from Iran and other actors from Saudi Arabia, as well as technological supplies from Israel. So, in this, it is necessary to perceive a kind of balancing and very skillful diplomatic activities on the part of Beijing.

Eliška Drobná

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on LinkedIn

Print

Copy the url address

Abbreviated address





Copy to clipboard

Close