Next week, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials. The trip comes as Europe tries to figure out how to deal with economic competition from China.
This is reported by Bloomberg.
Josep Borrell will arrive in Beijing on Monday and meet with Foreign Minister Qin Gang and other high-ranking officials, EU Ambassador to Beijing Jorge Toledo said.
Toledo told the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Sunday that Brussels would continue to raise "strategic issues" with China, including its human rights practices and Russia's war against Ukraine. He added that the two sides will continue dialogue on economic and trade issues, probably in September, and may hold a leaders' summit at the end of the year.
"We want to engage with China on all issues, in our partnership, in our competition and in our systemic rivalry," Toledo said.
Economic relations between the EU and China
Borrell's trip comes as Beijing tries to persuade Europe to take a less tough line than the United States, which has imposed a series of export controls on China to limit its access to advanced technology. Beijing escalated the dispute on Monday by imposing export restrictions on two metals critical to semiconductors, telecommunications and electric vehicle production.
Borrell's trip follows that of EU climate chief Frans Timmermans, who is meeting with Chinese climate, biodiversity and environmental officials this week. Both postponed a visit to China earlier this year after testing positive for COVID-19.
Not a partner, but a rival
In May, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on the European Union to reduce its dependence on China. He accused the government in Beijing of increasingly acting as a rival and competitor rather than a partner.
It should be noted that France is increasing pressure on the EU, demanding to counter China's advantages in such export sectors as electric cars.
