Xi’s Europe Outreach Aims to Avert East-West Clash For China
- China courts Europe as it befriends Russia, spars with U.S.
- ‘It is a critical moment for Europe-China relations’
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A flurry of diplomatic calls between Beijing and European capitals shows how President Xi Jinping is trying to keep Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from dragging China into the center of another struggle for global supremacy reminiscent of the Cold War.
Xi spoke via video link Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, suggesting China would be willing to work with the two countries to mediate a solution. The summit follows Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s calls with top regional diplomats including Josep Borrell of the European Union and Peter Szijjarto of Hungary.