China, EU spar over way forward, as human rights, Russia and trade dominate farewell event for Brussels envoy
- Departing European Union ambassador Nicolas Chapuis calls on China to resume dialogue on human rights and speak up over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- ‘Megaphone diplomacy’ of little use in solving disputes, China’s special envoy to Europe says in choosing to focus on areas for cooperation
Chinese and European diplomats sparred over ways to manage fraught bilateral relations, as they gathered at a farewell event for the outgoing European Union ambassador weeks ahead of a long-awaited, high-level trade dialogue.
China must resume dialogue on human rights and speak up over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, departing ambassador Nicolas Chapuis told guests at Friday’s event at the bloc’s embassy in Beijing.
Recalling his first visit to China in January 1979 and first diplomatic posting in Beijing the following year, Chapuis said bilateral relations had a lot of potential but the momentum had stalled.
Trade is increasingly unbalanced and European investors’ confidence is hurt by repeated lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, and restricted international mobility due to China’s zero-Covid policy
Wu Hongbo, China’s special representative to Europe, did not respond to Chapuis’ calls on Ukraine and human rights.
Rather, he played up the prospects of cooperation on trade, biodiversity, climate change and coping with grain and energy crises, which would “inject more certainty and stability into a world in distress”.
“Less reliance on China or even decoupling from China would not bring a solution to this problem,” Wu said in response to Chapuis’ concerns on the trade imbalance.