Recent meetings between Macron and Xi as well as the US House Speaker and Taiwanese President have demonstrated the growing tensions between America and Europe, writes The Hill. These competing diplomatic summits highlighted the disconnect between Washington and European countries over how to do business with China.
The high-level meetings, held on opposite sides of the world, underscore the growing tensions between the US and Europe over engagement with China, The Hill writes.
French President Emmanuel Macron, during his three-day visit to China, positioned his interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping as an attempt to convince the latter to play an important role in establishing peace between Ukraine and Russia and in “curbing Russian President Vladimir Putin”.
The summit came after Chinese officials warned of consequences and retaliation in response to a meeting this week between US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Following that meeting, McCarthy, speaking to reporters, expressed hope that Macron would ask Xi not to “fund Russia’s conflict in Ukraine”. At the same time, he reiterated that “democracy makes the world safer and stronger”.
“As I hope he (Macron. – InoTV) will deliver the message that the American meeting with President Tsai is positive in the same aspect as his meeting with President Xi,” McCarthy stressed.
These competing diplomatic summits underscore the gap between the US and Europe on how to do business with China, The Hill underlines.
While the Biden administration and lawmakers from both US parties describe Xi as working to change the world in terms of China’s authoritarian model, European leaders are less united on the risks and benefits of close ties with Beijing.
Before the French leader’s trip to China, Macron and Biden had a telephone conversation. The Elysee Palace said at the time that the two leaders discussed a “shared desire to engage China in accelerating the end of the conflict in Ukraine and to involve it in building a lasting peace in the region.”
The Biden administration was, however, more restrained in describing the conversation. The two-line White House report simply stated that the US and French presidents spoke about Macron’s upcoming trip and reiterated support for Ukraine.
Macron’s visit, accompanied by dozens of business representatives, underscores France’s desire to maintain, and perhaps strengthen, economic ties with China, despite the fact that the US has been warning for months about Beijing’s consideration of sending arms to Russia.
But not all European leaders share France’s views on China, the paper emphasises.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who accompanied Macron on his trip, took a more hawkish stance, calling Beijing “more repressive at home and more assertive abroad”. She also added that Europe should “get rid of risks” in its economic ties with China. Her bellicose approach, the article noted, is shared by Central and Eastern European countries.
1,284 total views, 2 views today
