Xi’s big European adventure, meeting the local tribes

Returning to Europe after a five-year hiatus, Chinese President Xi Jinping discovered the local tribes were not united in diversity. Mapping the land, Xi found divergent political climates, and cavernous terrain between Western, Central and Eastern Europe.

On his previous visit to the continent, Xi observed a Europe open for business, this time the mood had soured. As any good relationship therapist will tell you “It’s complicated”.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was also part of the visiting delegation, hailed the consolidation of China’s relations with the three European countries and relaunched China-EU cooperation.

However, the outgoing United States Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said this visit was timed to “create an axis against EU integration”.

‘Axis against EU integration’

“We caution all of our partners and all of our particular interlocutors to be very aware of China’s agenda in Europe and China’s agenda about the Euro-Atlantic community,” Escobar warned during a briefing with journalists on 8 May.

Serbia, which has close ties to Russia and China, has been asked to align itself with the EU. While European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen has been pushing for enlargement with the Western Balkans countries, Belgrade’s clear reorientation to its Eastern partners presents a strategic dilemma.

Right-leaning Orbán has made Hungary an important trade and investment partner for China, contrary to other EU nations which are evaluating their dependence on the Asian giant.

With France long calling for European sovereignty and warning against being a vassal of the US, and the EU increasingly insisting on protectionist policies towards China, Xi now has a clear picture as to whose door is open for his country to make gains, and who hesitates when doing business with Beijing.

Imbalances, investigations, hallucinations

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out the complexity of EU-China relations, at times drawing attention to where parties don’t see eye-to-eye while finding opportunities to sketch common ground.

Following a trilateral meeting between von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and Xi on 6 May in the French capital, von der Leyen delivered a dose of Real Politik, delicately applying pressure to Chinese sentiments for improvements in fair trade and regulating market distortions.

“Imbalances remain significant,” she said, “and this is a matter of great concern. As we have shown, we will defend our economies. We will never hesitate to do so if this is required,” von der Leyen said during a press conference, referring to the multiple EU investigations mainly targeting Chinese clean tech products.

But what Brussels view as concerns, Beijing views as hallucinations. Addressing “the so-called problem of China’s overcapacity”, Xi pointed out that his country is not only increasing global supply and alleviating the pressure of global inflation but also contributing to the green transition and global climate response.

Preventing the new cold war

On the same day, Xi held separate talks with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, with whom he spoke about improving efforts to prevent a new cold war or global bloc confrontation while underscoring the importance of bolstering cooperative ties.

The president’s call comes as China and France mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. According to Xi, it is time to usher in a new era of cooperation.

With trade issues at the top of the agenda, Macron expressed appreciation to Xi for his transparency regarding interim measures towards French Cognac, put under an anti-dumping probe by China, alongside other European brandy earlier in the year.

Luxury bottles of cognac were reportedly amid French gifts to the Chinese president, packaged with Paris’ hopes to continue exporting its high-end products to the Asian market, including cosmetics. Cheers to the cognac-drinking sons of the revolution! Mao would surely have needed refreshment after a long march.

‘Ironclad friendship’ with Serbia

Xi travelled to Serbia to receive a warmer welcome and optimism for deeper cooperation. Flowers, smiles, and traditional dances awaited the Chinese president as his plane landed in Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport. One could be forgiven for thinking the atmosphere was electric.

China considers Serbia one of its closest European allies and this dynamic was reaffirmed by Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić endorsing a key element of Xi’s global vision, making Serbia the first European country to build a community with a shared future with China.

“The sky’s the limit,” Vučić noted, referring to the scope for cooperation with the Asian giant. China, however, probably views that as lacking ambition, with space more of a final frontier than a mere skyline.

In return for such high praise, the Chinese president offered support for safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity in relation to Kosovo, which Serbia still continues to claim as an autonomous province. If there’s something China loves to help a friend with, it’s keeping an eye on small autonomous local territories.

“This ironclad friendship has stood the test of the changing international landscape. We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Serbia, safeguarding long-term interests of the two countries,” Xi remarked during his talks with Vučić, perhaps unaware that Serbia has been flirtatious with the  European Union in securing its long-term interests. Europe it seems, is just the girl next door.

‘All-weather’ strategic partnership with Hungary

Xi’s third and final stop took him to Hungary, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Together with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Xi announced that the two countries have elevated ties to an “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership”.

“We are willing to take this as a new starting point to push bilateral relations and pragmatic cooperation into a golden channel and move towards a higher level,” Xi declared.

The two countries will carry on with key projects such as the reconstruction of the Budapest-Belgrade railway track, while 18 agreements were signed after the meeting of Xi and Orbán.

Tracking is clearly a robust theme for China and Hungary, Hungary having permitted surveillance of Chinese dissidents within its borders by Chinese security personnel. Despite a warm start to an all-weather partnership, Hungary and China’s security umbrella is giving Brussels the chills.

[By Xhoi Zajmi I Edited by Brian Maguire | Euractiv’s Advocacy Lab ]

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