France expects ‘clear messages’ from China to Russia over Ukraine battle | EUROtoday

Issued on: 01/04/2024 – 09:36

3 min

France and China have sought to strengthen ties in recent times and, throughout conferences in Paris in February, Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed President Emmanuel Macron that Beijing appreciated his nation’s “independent” stance.

But Paris has additionally sought to press Beijing on its shut ties with Moscow, which have solely grown nearer for the reason that invasion of Ukraine.

While China says it’s a impartial social gathering within the Ukraine battle, it has been criticised for refusing to sentence Moscow for its offensive.

Paris has, in distinction, change into one in every of Kyiv’s firmest backers, with Macron in February even refusing to rule out placing troops on the bottom in Ukraine.

And Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne stated Monday it wished “China to send very clear messages to Russia” over its battle in Ukraine.

“We are convinced that there will be no lasting peace if it is not negotiated with the Ukrainians,” he informed a press convention in Beijing, talking alongside his Chinese counterpart Wang.

“There will be no security for Europeans if there is no peace in accordance with international law,” he continued.

“It is an essential issue for us, which is why France is determined to maintain a close dialogue with China,” he stated.

And Beijing, he stated, may play a “key role” in guaranteeing respect for worldwide legislation is maintained.

Sejourne’s go to is the second to China by a French international minister in lower than six months, following a visit by his predecessor, Catherine Colonna, in November.

Macron additionally visited final April, receiving a rock star welcome at a college in southern China from a whole bunch of screaming college students and followers.

But he confronted accusations of cosying as much as Beijing and sparked controversy by saying Europe should not be a “follower” of the United States within the occasion of battle with China over Taiwan.

The prime diplomat’s go to this week comes as a part of occasions marking the sixtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China.

He will later within the day participate within the launch of the “Versailles and the Forbidden City” exhibition, the place round sixty artistic endeavors and valuables from the palace shall be open to the general public till the top of June.

‘Derisking’ not ‘decoupling’

And France’s efforts to enhance ties with Beijing come because the EU seeks to defend itself from extreme reliance on China.

That “derisking” has emerged in latest months as a core pillar of the European bloc’s financial coverage in the direction of China, changing into essential after the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The time period contrasts with the extra drastic strategy referred to as “decoupling” — pursued by some policymakers within the United States who purpose to isolate China or minimize all business ties with the nation.

But the EU more and more views China as a “partner” but in addition as “an economic competitor and systemic rival”, a report by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China stated final month.

And in Beijing on Monday, Sejourne stated decoupling was not on the playing cards.

But, he stated, an “economic rebalancing” was wanted to make sure commerce is “healthy and sustainable”.

Foreign Minister Wang, in flip, stated he “appreciates” Sejourne’s rejection of decoupling.

“It is not possible to decouple from China, and decoupling from China is the biggest risk,” Wang stated.

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“I believe that it has been proved, and will continue to prove, that China is an opportunity and not a risk for Europe. Both sides are partners and not rivals,” he stated.

(AFP)