Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Budapest on Wednesday, the final stop of his week-long visit to Europe that many experts consider a strategic play to deepen ideological rifts in the European Union.
Xi’s first stop in France was met with a little resistance from French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who both pressed him on China’s cheap green technology and its effect on European competition. The pair also grilled Xi on Beijing’s continued support for Russia in its war in Ukraine. But experts agreed the invitation to France signals the EU is not prepared to completely cut ties with Beijing.
Xi could be a little more forward during his stopovers in Serbia and Hungary — both are NATO-skeptical countries that favor stronger ties with China. The show of support for eastern Europe could further split the fragile bloc on security and economic policy — to Beijing’s (and Russia’s) benefit.
Source link : https://www.semafor.com/article/05/08/2024/xi-china-europe-hungary-tour-orban
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Publish date : 2024-05-08 03:00:00
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