“They’re an important trading partner. It’s a fact – I mean, you can be in favour of it or not, but they’re an important trading partner,” De Croo told the Brussels Forum, an event organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

01:20

Nike to make full exit from Russia three months after suspending operations

Nike to make full exit from Russia three months after suspending operations

De Croo’s remarks came amid a flurry of summitry in Europe, at which China is an important topic of conversation.

At a Group of 7 meeting in Krun, Germany, on Sunday, the world’s most powerful democracies committed pledged US$600 billion towards rivalling China’s infrastructure drive in low-income states.

A Nato meeting in Madrid, Spain, that starts on Tuesday is expected to identify China for the first time as a key risk in its new “strategic concept” blueprint.

China hits back at US over G7 belt and road alternative

Rutte said he was opposed to reorganising trade relations with China because of Beijing’s policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported.

Both leaders spoke at a pivotal moment for EU-China ties, with European suspicions running high over China’s tacit backing for Russia’s aims in Ukraine. Increasingly, a loud narrative is emerging anticipating a future battle between autocrats and democrats.

The argument has taken root in certain Central and Eastern European nations – notably the Baltic states, Czech Republic and Poland – which are more on board than western European states with the US framing that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and any potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan are similar situations.

On a recent trip to Warsaw, China’s envoy to the region, Huo Yuzhen, was denied an audience with the Polish foreign ministry. No reason was given.

The Belgian and Dutch leaders’ remarks represent a widening schism between two EU blocs on China policy, said Rem Korteweg, an analyst at the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch think tank.

“It is not a coincidence, as it’s meant to influence G7 discussions and – probably – push back against all too strong anti-Chinese language in the Nato strategic concept,” said Korteweg.

“Rutte is also keen to push back against ‘democrats vs autocrats’ framing, which lumps Russia and China together. He seeks a ‘third way’, where Europe isn’t forced to choose between US and China.”

On Monday, de Croo questioned the longevity of Russia and China’s “no limits” partnership.

“Can this be a partnership in the next five years? I’d be very surprised if it were,” he said.

But he suggested that EU and US actions against Russia had demonstrated that if China were to move on Taiwan, the situation could change.

01:45

China says ‘no limits’ in cooperation with Russia

China says ‘no limits’ in cooperation with Russia

“What we transatlantic partners have done extremely well is to show the rest of the world if you do something which is clearly against any international law, this is what happens,” de Croo said.

“And that’s a signal to Russia, but it’s also a signal to the rest of the world.”

Both Belgium and the Netherlands are significant trading partners of China.

Over the first five months of this year, the Netherlands imported more than US$46 billion worth of Chinese goods, second only to Germany in the EU. Belgium was the seventh largest importer, taking in more than US$13 billion in Chinese goods.

Both nations, however, run trade deficits with China. Dutch exports to China were US$5.2 billion in the first five months, with Belgium’s US$3.9 billion.