Growing animosity between China and the European Union (E.U.) over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into decision of Chinese President Xi Jinping not to attend a special summit in Brussels, according to the Financial Times (FT) newspaper.
Xi has declined an invitation to attend a summit to mark the 50th anniversary of E.U.-China diplomatic ties, the FT wrote in an article on Sunday.
Officials in Beijing told their E.U. counterparts that Chinese Premier Li Qiang would meet the presidents of the European Council and Commission instead of Xi, the FT wrote, citing two unidentified people familiar with the matter.
The E.U.-China summits usually alternates between Brussels and Beijing with the premier going to Brussels and Xi hosting it in Beijing but the E.U. wanted the Chinese President to attend.
Tensions between the E.U. and China have grown since the invasion in 2022 with the Europeans claiming China is supporting Russia and the bloc has also imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports on the basis they are subsidised.
China and the E.U., respectively the world’s second and third-largest economies, have also been arguing about trade with claims of overcapacity, illegal subsidies and dumping in each other's markets.
“The relationship is on ice,” the FT quoted a senior E.U. diplomat as saying.
“It is a change of tone not substance. Their policy is not going to change and the same is true for us.”
