China’s stance on Ukraine war is critical to good relations with EU, bloc’s foreign policy chief says

Josep Borrell urges Beijing to use its influence over Russia to help revive the Black Sea grain deal and end war as visit to China ends

EU’s top diplomat warns that ‘ambivalent’ stance on Ukraine war is ‘eroding trust’ and says bloc’s ‘enormous’ trade deficit must be addressed

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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell at Saturday’s press conference in Beijing. Photo: AP

Published: 9:14pm, 14 Oct 2023Updated: 10:21pm, 14 Oct 2023

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrapped up his visit to China by urging Beijing not to let Russia avoid sanctions over the war in Ukraine and work to revive the Black Sea grain export deal.

At a press conference in Beijing on Saturday, Borrell said the bloc’s “enormous” trade deficit with Beijing, as well as Beijing’s stance on Ukraine were among the most important issues raised in talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.

Borrell’s visit to Beijing was meant to prepare for a China-EU summit later this year, though no date has been set yet.

Borrell said the EU wants Beijing to see the Ukraine crisis as a security threat to the union and urged Beijing not to see its relations with Brussels through the lens of the bloc’s relations with another country – a probable allusion to the United States.

“Until now, China is not providing arms to Russia and it’s important,” he said. “And I asked [China] not to help Russia on the circumvention of sanctions.”

He also said: “The war in Ukraine is not only affecting Ukraine. It is affecting the security of the Europeans. And it is sending shock waves around the world.