/Pogled.info/ China is not only fashionable on the international stage. China is increasingly presenting itself as a powerful country with a global reach. Although traditionally his approach to diplomacy remains somewhat cautious. Regardless, the doors to the world are wide open and Beijing is said to have become more ambitious in diplomacy, as well as in many other areas of world affairs. The questions in the West are really how ambitious China is and what burdens and costs they are willing to bear and bear.
But concerns over China’s new policies have reached such a fever pitch that Washington and the EU will meet in Sweden on May 30/31 to agree joint action to address China-directed concerns about non-market practices. Export controls of, for example, semiconductors and other goods will be coordinated. This is the fourth edition of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council. State Secretary Anthony Blinken, EC Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and other high-ranking officials will talk at the meeting. Reuters reports that the focus of the talks will be on China, although it only talks about non-market practices and economic coercion, which requires efforts to counter Chinese companies’ access to technological know-how and strategic achievements. Control over the export of “sensitive products”, including military goods, will be coordinated. Semiconductors will receive special attention. So China has so worried its Western partners, as Beijing calls them, that special measures are required. It cannot be otherwise since Beijing has restored the upward development of its economy and for the first quarter of this year reports a GDP growth of 4.5% on an annual basis.
The forum will also lay the groundwork for cooperation in efforts to counter foreign information manipulation, including “China’s reinforcement of Russian disinformation narratives about the war in Ukraine.” Both the US and the EU will commit to working with the G7 to coordinate actions to counter acts of economic coercion such as trade restrictions that Brussels says Beijing has imposed on EU member Lithuania. All this at a stage when China is wooing European leaders during a tour of Europe by the new Chinese foreign minister. Even warm ties with Moscow did not overshadow this tour of Beijing’s first diplomat, Qing Gan, in three European countries. The purpose of the visits is to convince European leaders that they can do business with Beijing, even as the Chinese try to keep faith in their “unlimited partnership” with Russia. At least that’s how they write in Paris. But upon arriving in Berlin, Qing Gan was quickly confronted about the war in Ukraine. Analena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, was quick to declare at the joint press conference that “we are on the side of the victim”. According to her, Beijing can do much more to stop the war in Ukraine. Qin is blunt in his answer and emphasizes that “the issue of Ukraine is very complicated.” He defended his country’s approach and emphasized that “China neither provoked it, nor is it a party, but we are committed to the peace talks.” He promises that “he will not look at the fire from the other side, nor will he add fuel to the fire.”
It was definitely easier for Qin Gan in Paris. Especially after Macron’s visit to Beijing. The French president is keen to maintain both business and diplomatic ties with China. Macron’s remarks during the recent visit to Beijing seriously alarmed Washington and Brussels. Especially his statement that Europe should pursue its own interests and strive for “strategic autonomy”. The EU should not get involved in crises that are not its own. Europe should not blindly follow the US in its rivalry with China. This is undoubtedly music to Chinese ears. Especially considering that one of Beijing’s goals is to divide Europe from the US. Something that until recently was blamed on Moscow. Qin now says he supports European strategic autonomy. As long as the EU achieves it.
Against this background, they write in the West that Beijing is in trouble because of its desire to support Russia, protect Europe and stabilize its relations with its most important rival – the USA. Beijing has offered a range of proposals for a possible peace between Russia and Ukraine, which the Anglo-Saxon world has described as untenable. Few take them seriously. Moreover, the fighting does not stop, and Kiev is constantly talking about a counteroffensive. But this does not prevent some experienced Western diplomats from arguing that in the future China may be useful with these peace proposals of its own. At least as a guarantor or mediator to reach an agreement between Moscow and Kiev. Although Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, is adamant that “we don’t need a mediator. No one needs a mediator to get Russia out of Ukraine.” At the same time, Markarova stated that “her government is ready to cooperate with anyone who is ready to help us”. Quite Ukrainian. Like Zelensky’s words to the Pope that Ukraine does not need his mediation role to reach a peace agreement with Moscow. Otherwise, he respected Pope Francis and was grateful for the meeting in the Vatican.
As the EU considers a new package of sanctions targeting companies that supply goods to Russia via third countries (such as Azerbaijan and Georgia), Qin has warned against imposing sanctions on Chinese companies because of Russia. Beijing will find a way to act in their defense. Chinese and Russian companies enjoy, Qin says, normal exchanges and cooperation and should not be affected. The tension with China is not limited to Europe. When Qin met with the US ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, the exchange was polite but sharp. It was their first meeting since relations between the US and China were frozen over a dispute over a Chinese surveillance balloon that Washington shot down in February. Qin had told Ambassador Burns that “the program of dialogue and cooperation between the two countries has been broken, and the relationship between the two countries is once again frozen”. But “stabilizing relations was his main priority.” Burns tweeted that “the two men discussed challenges in US-China relations and the need to stabilize ties and expand high-level communications.” Does this include Blinken visiting Beijing? But on the same day, Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat for trying to intimidate a Canadian member of parliament, Michael Chowg, and his relatives in Hong Kong. In response, Beijing ordered the expulsion of a Canadian diplomat from the consulate in Shanghai. Diplomatic relations between Canada and China have already been strained by the arrest of the head of Huawei in 2018. Beijing responded by arresting two Canadians and accusing them of espionage. In fact, all three were released in 2021, but relations between the two countries remained cool.
Adding to these chilly facts is information that Blinken has expressed concern about the treatment of American companies and other foreign firms in China. They were searched under China’s new counter-espionage law. Shared data with the US. CNN reports on raids by Chinese security authorities of companies such as international consultancy Capvision in Suzhou. The aspiration is to strengthen relations, but interests and security take priority. This is also part of China-style modernization, which is the new strategy of the Celestial Empire. It can be seen that the interest in her is impressive. Especially in third world countries. Beijing’s efforts for role, influence and cooperation are also aimed at them. A branch of the politics of change that underpins the new world order and the laying of the foundations for the new multipolar world. Something that was agreed upon in Moscow at Xi Jinping’s meeting with Putin. The question is whether it will happen peacefully or after conflicts in which the victims are mostly ordinary citizens.
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