Sébastien Le Belzic (correspondent in China), edited by Gauthier Delomez with AFP
modified to
07:17, April 07, 2023
Ursula von der Leyen, who accompanies Emmanuel Macron on his state visit to China, gave a very critical speech on Thursday vis-à-vis Beijing. At the end of her talks, the President of the European Commission violently criticized China both on human rights and especially for its support for Moscow.
Ursula von der Leyen barely mentioned Emmanuel Macron’s name in the press conference following her talks with Chinese officials. The President of the European Commission played her own score delivering a speech of firmness on Thursday, violently criticizing China both on human rights and especially for its support for Moscow, in the context of the war in Ukraine. On this subject, she was once again very firm and very clear.
“We are counting on China not to supply military equipment directly or indirectly to Russia, because we all know that arming the aggressor would be against international law and would significantly harm our relationship,” he said. she declared.
A hard line vis-à-vis Beijing
Ultimately, Ursula von der Leyen embodies a hard line vis-à-vis Beijing. The President of the European Commission calls for a bolder and more autonomous Europe. She also confirmed on Thursday that the investment agreement concluded between Europe and China in 2020, after ten long years of negotiation, was stillborn, and that it is now necessary to completely redefine relations with China. which remains, for the moment, its first trading partner.
In addition, Ursula von der Leyen judged Thursday “positive” that Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom she spoke, wanted to speak to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. “So it was interesting to hear President Xi reiterate his willingness to speak when the conditions and the time are right. I think that’s a positive thing,” she told a press conference at Beijing.