[FR] Euroquestions #58 | EU-China relations: rivals, competitors, partners?
European leaders have been visiting Beijing in quick succession over the past few months, starting with Olaf Scholz’s controversial visit last November. Since then, Xi Jinping has welcomed Charles Michel and Pedro Sanchez, before receiving Emmanuel Macron and Ursula Von der Leyen on 5 and 6 April. The President of the European Commission said in a recent speech that Chinese leaders want ‘a systemic change in the international order, with China at its centre’. As China’s diplomatic agenda intensifies, what does the future hold for EU-China relations, two systemic rivals who are also partners? The war in Ukraine will be an unavoidable topic of discussion given China’s very important and ambiguous role in resolving the conflict. There is no doubt that human rights issues and economic challenges will also be addressed in a context of trade tensions, particularly over the supply of strategic materials.
To address all these issues, we will welcome Sylvie Bermann, member of the board of directors of the Jacques Delors Institute and former French ambassador to London, Moscow and Beijing from 2011 to 2014.
