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EU Diplomatic Representative, Josep Borrell Fontelles, briefed the European Parliament on Tuesday about the EU-China summit held on April 1. He pointed out that the video conference between EU leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping was a “deaf dialogue” and said there are doubts about China’s willingness to cooperate in ending the war in Ukraine, the Chinese Edition of Radio France Internationale (RFI) reports.
“They (China) don’t want to talk about Ukraine, or human rights, claiming to focus on positive things.”
“The European side, however, made it clear that this kind of categorization is not feasible and is unacceptable for Europe. For Europe, the war in Ukraine is a decisive moment,” he said. “Do we live in a world ruled by law or in a world governed by force?”
A Chinese summary, on the contrary, said the EU “expressed its desire to have frank exchanges with China to maintain the good momentum of EU-China relations”.
European Commission President von der Leyen reportedly told the China-EU summit that Brussels expects Beijing to “at least make every effort not to interfere in any form” with European sanctions imposed by Moscow over its attack on Ukraine. “We call on China to help end the war in Ukraine,” European Council President Michel said at a news conference.
The report said the US and other countries pressured China to take a clear stand against aggression. Chinese diplomats and state media have downplayed civilian casualties in Ukraine and described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “victim of NATO expansion”.
While Xi has spoken with Putin and Biden, he has not been in contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the report said.
Xi said the current situation could obliterate the benefits of global economic cooperation. Beijing and Brussels should work to prevent the spread of the crisis, China’s foreign ministry said.
Borrell said the EU urged China to “use its leverage over Russia to push for an immediate ceasefire and called on China to support the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in Ukraine”.
Borrell, EU’s foreign security chief, added that any attempt to help Moscow evade sanctions would have “serious consequences”.
However, “the Chinese side only expressed a general desire to see peace, declaring that they are peaceful people, who do not invade other countries.
However, the Chinese side “refrained from making any specific commitments and refraining from accusing Russia of any form of aggression.”
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