EU foreign ministers met to discuss their position on China, acknowledging the need to “recalibrate” their relationship with the country. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, presented a paper outlining the need to define and recalibrate their position towards China. The EU sees China as a partner, competitor and rival, and it remains important to engage with China while reducing dependencies. However, relations between the EU and China are strained by China’s refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU has proposed restricting exports of sensitive tech to eight Chinese firms suspected of shipping it to Russia.
During a visit to Norway, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang called for Europe and China to “oppose the Cold War mentality”. The EU’s foreign ministers will continue to discuss their position on China at a leaders’ summit in June. They will also meet with counterparts from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss security issues, including tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
