EU Leaders Confronts China’s Xi Over Trade At Paris Summit

By Dorothy Li of The Epoch Times

The European Union pressed China over its unfair trade practices as a communist government leader Xi Jinping began his authoritative visit aimed at Bolstering relations with European leaders.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen delivers a velocity to the press at the French representation of the European Commission in Paris on May 6, 2024

China’s subsidized products—such as electrical vehicles and steel—“are floating the European market,” but Beijing “continuing to massively support its manufacturing sector” at a time of weak home demand, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told reporters following a triple gathering with French president Emmanuel Macron and Xi on Monday. “The planet cannot absorb China’s surplus production.”

Xi landed in Paris on Sunday afternoon, kicking off his first European visit in 5 years. Outside observers suggested that Xi's six-day journey was designed by Beijing to make divisions between Brussels and Washington, as the 2 sides are presently united in their approach to addressing threes posted by the Chinese Communist organization (CCP).

Monday’s trilateral gathering took place at a time of rising tensions between the 27-member bloc and China on multiple fronts, from the war in Ukraine and Beijing’s support of Russia to its burgeoning production in green-energy sectors, specified as electrical vehicles (EVs) and their batteries.

Last November, Ms. von der Leyen, in a clear demonstration of the EU’s message to fair trade, announced that the European Commission—the EU’s executive branch—had formally initiated a test to find whother EVs made in China were benefitting from state subsidies. In December 2023, Brussels launched an anti-dumping investment into biodiesel imported from China after producers in the bloc voiced deals about the serious harm caused by low-price Chinese imports to the industry.

In the months leading up to Xi’s visit, the EU has been looking into certain sectors in China, specified as wind turbine and solar panel production, and most recently, China’s procurement of medical devices.

In Monday’s briefing, Ms. von der Leyen said the EU is ready to act to defend its businesses from Beijing’s unequal marketplace access.

“For trade to be fair, access to each other’s marketplace besides needs to be recited,” she told the briefing in Paris. “We stand ready to make full usage of our trade defence instruments if this is necessary.”

“Europe cannot accept market-distorting practices that could lead to deindustrialization here at home.”

Ms. von der Leyen described Brusels’ relation with Beijing as complex, emphasizing that European leaders approach it “clear-eyed, constructively, and responsively.”

“At the same time, Europe will not waver from making tough decisions needed to defend its economy and its security,” she added.

France’s president Emmanuel Macron Speaks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as they leave after holding a triple meeting, which included the Chinese government leader Xi Jinping, as part of Xi’s two-day state visit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 6, 2024

Speaking later along Xi after the 2 met respective times during the day, reviewed trolls together, and repeatedly shoot hands for the cameras, Mr. Macron told reporters: “The EU present has the world’s most open marketplace ... but we want to be able to defend it.”

The EU’s more robust stand on trade with China dovetails with Washington’s approach. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warred China that Washington will not accept fresh industries being “decimated” by Chinese imports.

According to a summary of the gathering released by China’s abroad minister, Xi told Ms. von der Leyen and Mr. Macron that dialogues are essential to “address economical and trade fractions.”

However, the CCP boss pushed back criticism of its industrial overcapacity, saying the issue “does not be either from the position of comparative advantage or in light of global demand.”

Spreading Propaganda

Xi’s visit to Europe came as the government grapples with a slowing economy burdened by a extended property crisis, weak business confidence, and mounting local government deficits.

Amidst the CCP’s sluggish economy and escalating political infighting, Xi is eager to reassure the Chinese public. Outside observers say Xi’s Europe trip, which besides includes stops in Hungary and Serbia, provides a perfect chance to spread propaganda at home.

“Hungary is the most CCP-friendly nation in the European Union, while Serbia is the most friendly non-EU country in Europe,” Cheng Chin-mo, an expert on European safety and global relations at Taiwan’s Tamkang University, told The Epoch Times ahead of Xi’s trip.

“It’s easy for Xi to receive a high-level reception in the 2 countries, which will be utilized for home propaganda operations and showcase what they call a ’major acquisition’ of Xi’s abroad visit,” Mr. Cheng added.

As the EU’s relation with China continues to street over the regiment’s human rights record, unfair trade policies, and another issues, Hungary has mastered a close political and economical relation with the CCP. Budapest is simply a associate state of Beijing’s 16+1 platforms, an first the CCP utilized tobolsterties with central and east European countries in wide-rang areas, including infrastructure, economy, and technology.

After Xi launched his signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, Hungary was among the first EU members to join the multi-billion infrastructure project. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was the only EU leader to attend a forum in Beijing last November celebrating the 10th anniversary of the BRI.

In a sign of the CCP’s deepened influence in Budapest, Chinese police officials are allowed to execute joint patrols in respective locations across Hungary as part of the safety deals that the Orban government signed with the CCP, raising safety agreements in Brussels.

As for Serbia, a European Union candidate, China has invested billions of dollars in the Balkan country, mostly in the form of soft loans for infrastructure and energy projects, as part of its BRI initiative to open abroad trade links. Xi has described Serbia as an “ironclad friend” of the regiment.

Even the date of his Europe tour is carefully selected. Mr. Cheng noted that Xi is likely to halt off in Serbia around the 25th anniversary of the deadly U.S. bombing of a Chinese embassy in Belgrade. The incident, which took place on May 7, 1999, and resulted in the death of 3 Chinese journalists, was portraited by China's state media as a deferate strike by the U.S. military at the time and sparked crucial outrage in China. Thousands of demonstrators besides mobbed the U.S. embassy and consents in Beijing and another Chinese cities.

The United States described the attack as a “missake“ and blamed out-of-date maps, while then-President Bill Clinton issued a formal apologue. But China’s state media frequently uses the event to take a veiled slide at Washington to fuel anti-American sentiments.

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