Russian invasion China's role

 

Xi Jinping with his wife, file photo. Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana / AP  

Russian invasion China's role  

French source: Xi may consider calling Zelensky  

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is willing to hold talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyi. This is what Ursula von der Leyen says after the EU summit met Xi Jinping together with France's Emmanuel Macron, writes Reuters. 

 

When Xi Jinping himself gave comments after Thursday's meeting, he did not mention any possible talks with Zelensky. According to a French diplomatic source, however, he should have said he was ready to call Kyiv.  

 

In connection with Xi traveling to Moscow for a meeting with Putin in March, Zelenskyi expressed that he also wants to meet the Chinese president. 

 

Emmanuel Macron/Xi Jinping/Ursula von der Leyen. Ludovic Marin / AP  

 

Russian invasion China's role  

Analysis: Macron expects at least a pledge of arms 

 

Emmanuel Macron's talks with Xi Jinping in China aim to strengthen EU-China relations, without too much US interference. That's what SVT's foreign reporter Ulrika Bergsten says about the French president's state visit.  

 

Trade between the EU and China is an important point, she says, and emphasizes that it has decreased between the parties during the corona pandemic. Macron has a trade delegation with him and hopes "to be rewarded with contracts", for example for the French aircraft manufacturer Airbus, says Bergsten.  

 

In a newsletter, Foreign Policy writes that Macron repeatedly traveled to China for trade talks, but that other things are also on the agenda. As for Ukraine, Macron hopes his strong relationship with China will bear fruit.  

 

He may not succeed in getting Xi Jinping to end the invasion - but at least the goal is that China will not supply any weapons to Russia.  

 

FP also notes that several other European leaders – including Germany's Olaf Scholz and Spain's Pedro Sánchez – have visited China recently.

von der Leyen and France's Macron meet China's leader Xi in Beijing. Ludovic Marin / AP  

 

The EU-China relationship  

EU chief: We should not reduce trade with China  

 

The EU should not "disengage" itself from trade with China, but the risks must be reduced. That's what EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said during a press conference in Beijing on Thursday, Direkt reports. 

 

It concerns a few sensitive products, for example technology with military uses. 

 

- For a large majority of goods and services there are no risks, von der Leyen said.  

 

At the same time, there is a growing imbalance in trade between the EU and China, the EU chief told reporters, according to Reuters.