In diplomatic flurry, European leaders press China’s Xi Jinping on opposing nuclear weapons
- Xi’s stance on nuclear weapons seen as a rebuke to brinkmanship by Russia’s Vladimir Putin
- Appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte follow similar efforts by US and German leaders
European leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Bali, securing his opposition to the use of nuclear weapons, a move seen as a rebuke to the brinkmanship of Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
It suggested a coordinated approach from Western leaders, who despite almost 10 months of Russian aggression against Ukraine that is yet to be condemned by China, continue to hope that Beijing can exert some influence on Moscow’s behaviour.
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“One of the reasons [Xi] is saying it repeatedly is because European leaders – and Biden – are pressing the same point,” said Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow with the German Marshall Fund’s Asia Programme.
Following a meeting with Xi, Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said on Twitter that the Chinese leader “expressed his opposition to threats to use nuclear weapons – an important message to Russia”.
Earlier, a French readout of President Emmanuel Macron’s meeting with Xi said they had “reaffirmed their firm position on the prevention of the use of nuclear weapons”.
Xi also met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who described China as a “key partner in dealing with global challenges and crises stemming from the war in Ukraine”.