War in Ukraine: EU tries to convince Beijing not to help Moscow

Audio 01:12

Chinese President Xi Jinping and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU-China summit on Friday, April 1.

© Olivier Matthys/Pool/REUTERS

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The leaders of the European institutions and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a new virtual summit on Friday.

They focused on the thorny issue of sanctions against Russia, which they fear China is circumventing or turning a blind eye to.

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Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel presented a long list of demands to Chinese President Xi Jinping, reports our correspondent in Brussels,

Pierre Bénazet

.

Improving market access for European companies, putting an end to trade retaliation measures against Lithuania and even lifting the sanctions issued against MEPs.

But their main objective was to get China not to support Russia and not to do anything that would circumvent the sanctions imposed by the European Union and its partners.

"

It was extremely important at this very delicate and sensitive moment for security in Europe and in the world that we could exchange arguments, exchange points of view, exchange analyzes in an attempt to convince of the need to put a strategy to bring the world back into compliance with international law

", explains Charles Michel.

 Being committed to dialogue does not mean being blind or deaf.

We also hope that China takes into consideration the importance of its international image and the importance of the economic relationship between China and the European Union

”, continues the President of the European Council.

Six times more trade with the EU than with Russia

For China, trade with the EU is nearly six times the value of trade with Russia, the Europeans point out.

It remains to be seen whether their arguments will move China away from its “

 halfway position

 ” between the EU and Russia.

For his part, Xi Jinping “

 hoped that the European Union will be able to form its own perception of China and independently pursue its own policy towards

 ” Beijing, according to a report published in the press. Chinese state.

For the communist regime, the Europeans let themselves be drawn into a conflict of which Washington would be the instigator.

► Also to listen: Debate of the day - War in Ukraine: can China change the game?

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  • European Union

  • China

  • Xi Jinping

  • Russia