China is trying to persuade Europe to allow Russia a seat at the table at upcoming peace talks, otherwise Beijing will boycott such meetings.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in early May. It will be the first trip by a Chinese leader to Europe since the pandemic, Politico reports.
It is known that Xi’s visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Paris and Beijing. China is therefore seeking to revive strained relations with Europe over Xi Jinping’s “boundless partnership” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, writes Politico, the mood in France is likely to be different compared to the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the countries.
“It will be less festive and more businesslike, given the current economic and geopolitical stakes,” said the publication’s anonymous source.
The visit, planned for several months, will be closely watched in Washington and European capitals.
“Officials recently reported that China is trying to persuade Europe to allow Russia a seat at the table at upcoming peace talks, possibly in Switzerland, or Beijing will boycott such meetings,” Politico added.
Sources of the publication noted that this message was reinforced during the European tour of Chinese Special Envoy Li Hui last month, where he discussed the future of Ukraine. The Chinese Foreign Ministry then officially said that Li Hui pledged to “support the timely convening of a peace conference with equal participation of all parties.”
The publication also recalled that the meeting between Xi and Macron in Paris will take place a year after the French president visited Beijing and Guangzhou.
Macron is expected to visit China again this year, but there has been no official confirmation from the Elysee Palace.
As previously reported, China will consider participating in a peace conference aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, which Switzerland plans to host in the coming months.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.