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The day after a party dedicated to Brexit, the European Council can now be interested in the main course of this session: the new relationship that Europe seeks to build with China.
With our special correspondent in Brussels, Dominique Baillard
The twenty-eight now want to make a common front against Beijing, " out of naivety ." Because if China is a friendly partner, explains one in the entourage of the Elysee, it is also a " systemic rival ", according to the vocabulary used by the European Commission.
It was left to make a strategy of each one for himself, estimates the same source. This morning in the discussion, the French president reminded the need not to act separately: everything that makes us work by small club compared to the big powers is not a good approach.
A council that addresses all the European countries that have already signed a memorandum of understanding on the new Silk Roads with China, and in particular to Italy who did it during the visit of Xi Jinping . Emmanuel Macron spoke with the Italian Prime Minister during a bilateral meeting.
On the relationship between the European Union and China, it is a first that we have such a discussion and it is a first to have a text like the one that the Commission has submitted to the Council. I think this awakening was necessary. pic.twitter.com/cIOuZEadRn
Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 22, 2019Giuseppe Conte considers that his country respects the European framework.
This new European strategy against China, made new demands on Beijing and concrete devices, will be detailed in the joint statement that will hopefully be adopted after the summit.
→ Read: New Silk Road: Rome rolls out the red carpet in Xi Jinping
The fluctuations of Chinese investments in Europe
Europe is China's largest trading partner. Since 2010, Beijing has invested nearly 145 billion euros on the Old Continent. China took advantage of the financial crisis to invest. She bought the Greek port of Piraeus. It is very present in Portugal, with interests in real estate and air transport. The Swedish Volvo car driver, the Italian Pirelli tires and the German machine tool group Kouka have been awarded the Chinese flag.
Eastern countries are also subject to Chinese interests. In France, Beijing bought vineyards in Burgundy and Gironde.
But since 2018, the trend has reversed. Europe is worried about Chinese investments in strategic sectors, such as telecommunications or artificial intelligence.
The Twenty-eight have therefore decided to control these operations. They also want to establish reciprocal access to government procurement.
As a result, Chinese investment fell by 40% last year, according to figures from Rhodium Group. Nearly half of this capital is concentrated in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
→ RELIRE: Xi Jinping in Europe to promote Chinese "new silk roads"
The Chinese president will be Sunday in France to meet Emmanuel Macron, but also Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker. He will have to stay there until Tuesday. From commercial relations to European interrogations on Huawei and 5G via the climate or the future of multilateralism, the major topics are not lacking for the French executive, who pushes for a united European approach vis-à-vis Beijing, and wants an " EU statement ".