China’s EU envoy stresses cooperation while presenting credentials to Ursula von der Leyen

Chinese ambassador Fu Cong says EU-China relations will grow in importance as global situation becomes more ‘complicated’
Ties with Brussels have been clouded by tensions over Xinjiang sanctions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

China-EU relations

Teddy Ng

Published: 3:01pm, 27 Jan 2023

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China’s ambassador to the European Union has said that Beijing is committed to cooperation and dialogue with Brussels.

Fu Cong made the remarks while presenting his credentials to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, according to a statement by the Chinese diplomatic mission to the EU.

Fu said China attached importance to its relations with the EU and would stick to friendly policies. He added that cooperation was the overall aim of Beijing’s policies towards the bloc.

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“The more complicated the international situation becomes, the more prominent the global significance of China-EU relations will be,” Fu said.

“China is willing to work with the EU to maintain high-level exchanges and resume and promote China-EU dialogue and cooperation in various fields. The Chinese Mission to the EU and I are willing to work together with the European Commission and other EU institutions to promote new developments in China-EU relations.”

Fu took on the role of top envoy in December, when relations between Beijing and Brussels were clouded by tit-for-tat sanctions over alleged human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Brussels has scrutinised Beijing’s relationship with Moscow more closely since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February of last year. The invasion came just weeks after China and Russia hailed their “no limits” relationship in a joint statement following Putin’s visit to Beijing for the Winter Olympics.

Europe and the United States are concerned that Beijing is siding with Moscow. On Thursday, the US imposed sanctions on Chinese firm Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute for providing satellite imagery over locations in Ukraine to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group.

“These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine,” said a statement by the US Treasury Department, which also announced sanctions on a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of the Chinese company.

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Chinese officials have said Beijing is willing to play the role of mediator in Ukraine without backing Moscow militarily.

Fu previously said European perceptions of China were changing, which has had a “dampening effect” on bilateral relations.

But he said the foundation of China-EU relations remained positive as neither side sought to decouple, even though Europe increasingly viewed China as a rival.

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In 2020, China and the EU were on the verge of closing negotiations for a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, which would have opened up some sectors of the Chinese economy to Europe.

But the treaty was derailed in 2021 by sanctions over Beijing’s alleged human rights violations targeting the mainly Muslim Uygur minority in Xinjiang.

Fu has called on both sides to remove the sanctions to resume negotiations.