The China-EU summit ended on a sour note as neither side reached an acceptable consensus that was more favorable to Brussels. Calling on Chinese President Xi Jinping to drop Russia in favor of the western alliance did not get a favorable response. Before the summit, the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov had met with Beijing to discuss matters.
China Did Not Want To Discuss the Ukraine War
After the summit, Chinese state media rebuked Brussels for the tone-deaf attitude of the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, reported the Express UK.
The EU official summarized the meeting with Xi as a 'dialogue of the deaf' that was all about the bloc's agenda not touching the topic of Ukraine, cited Bloomberg.
According to him, the Chinese were not keen on Ukraine. Borrell spoke to the European Parliament last Tuesday night that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping preferred positive subjects instead.
Hu Xikin, a commentator from Global Times, mocked the words of Borrell that it was a "dialogue of the deaf."
He added it was a rude metaphor and remarked who was to blame for it. Adding that both Brussels and Beijing should have a mutual dialogue, the EU head only wants Beijing to agree on things it does not want to, which will only lead to nothing agreed on.
Assurances were given to Brussels last Friday seeking peace in Ukraine with no interference from the west regarding Russia.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Brussels that his country would find peace independently at the China-EU summit. Xi told the EU that he wouldn't interfere with what the US and the bloc decide.
The western leaders threatened in the virtual summit that Moscow would be held to account and won't allow Putin to get away with it, bypassing the sanctions.
European Council President Charles Michel with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke to the media and said that China is compelled to work with Brussels and the West because Russia violates international law.
They want China to agree without question that it should consider the European Union as the sole decision on what to do. If Beijing ignores it, then it's not on the right.
Beijing Needs To Defend International Order
Beijing and Moscow are developing ties with trade and security, which the Western alliance does not want, which can counter US hegemony that is getting less potent.
Despite a willingness to work with the west, Chinese media said that president Xi commented on the independent policy of the bloc.
Michel stated that the Russian military operation in DPR and LPR is the cause of instability and the global economy, noted Reuters.
The top Brussels officials called it an open discussion and impressed the Chinese that it needs the EU more than its Russian ties.
Beijing called the hard-liner stance a dictate from Washington that has an agenda against China. In 2019, the bloc saw China as a rival due to US influence. The China-EU summit was all about getting China to agree, which won't work as the double standard of the west is in play.
