Ahead of the 13th EU-China Strategic Dialogue on Wednesday 2 July, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, indicated that she wanted to take a firm stance with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.
“Let me be clear: allowing war in Europe while seeking closer ties with Europe is a contradiction that Beijing must resolve”, Ms Kallas said publicly.
She acknowledged that bilateral security relations were “increasingly strained”, particularly with regard to China’s involvement in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
“Chinese companies are Moscow’s lifeline to support its war against Ukraine. Beijing carries out cyber attacks, interferes in our democracies and engages in unfair trade”, deplored Ms Kallas.
She also stressed that Beijing’s actions against Taiwan were jeopardising the stability of the Indo-Pacific region, “on which the world depends”.
This meeting in Brussels took place a few weeks before a bilateral summit in China on 24 and 25 July, which will provide an opportunity to discuss these issues in greater detail (see EUROPE 13665/7). (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)