Beijing: As China and the European Union celebrate half a century of diplomatic relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host leading EU representatives for a critical summit in Beijing. The meeting aims to address the strained dynamics between the two entities and explore potential 'achievable wins' amidst ongoing challenges.
According to Anadolu Agency, the summit will see European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen engage in discussions with Premier Li Qiang and President Xi. The agenda is comprehensive, tackling issues such as trade disputes, the supply of rare earth materials, and geopolitical conflicts including the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza situation.
Initially scheduled as a two-day event, the summit has been condensed to focus solely on meetings in Beijing. This change, as noted by Beijing-based Asia analyst Einar Tangen, underscores China's increasing dissatisfaction with what it perceives as the EU's rigid stance.
Despite existing tensions, Einar asserts that the summit holds potential for tangible outcomes. China is reportedly seeking 'achievable wins' that include a collaborative statement on climate efforts, easing trade tensions, and providing conditional assurances on rare earth exports to alleviate industrial challenges in the EU. Additionally, compromises on electric vehicle tariffs are under consideration.
Dialogue opportunities remain, with the possibility of lifting mutual sanctions on parliamentarians. Einar highlights the EU's predicament, caught between US protectionism, marked by former President Donald Trump's 30% tariffs, and China's vast economic influence.
Einar criticizes EU leadership for what he describes as prioritizing ideological concerns over mutual economic advantages. He points out the contradiction between the EU's advocacy for multilateralism and its alignment with US tech sanctions, which Beijing interprets as a threat to its autonomy.
Public statements from von der Leyen accusing China of supporting Russia's war economy have further strained relations, with Einar noting that such accusations have 'poisoned the dialogue well.' He suggests that Beijing views the EU as aligning its interests too closely with US geopolitical strategies.
China's potential offer of conditional rare earth access to the EU could pave the way for normalized trade relations. However, Einar warns that genuine cooperation will necessitate the EU's commitment to reciprocity, warning of potential decline if such cooperation is not achieved.