China strengthens ties with France, Serbia and Hungary
China is taking steps to strengthen its bilateral relations with several countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to make a series of state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary next week. This will be Xi Jinping’s first visit to Europe in five years, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. During his visit, the Chinese president will meet with President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, and President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary.
Rapprochement between China and the European Union
This visit takes place in a context of slight rapprochement between China and the European Union in recent months. Although tensions still exist in the commercial, economic and human rights spheres, China seeks to strengthen its ties with Europe.
China and the United States
The visit of the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, to China last week has shown that, although relations between both countries have improved compared to last year, there are still disagreements on several fronts. One of them is the United States’ suspicion that China is supplying components to Russia to be used in the conflict with Ukraine. Blinken raised his concerns during meetings in Beijing and called on China to address the issue. China, for its part, has repeatedly denied that it sells weapons or military equipment to Russia and has defended its commercial relationship with Moscow.
Relations between China and Russia
Relations between China and Russia have strengthened in recent years. Both countries have expressed their commitment to combating hegemonic and intimidating behavior, in reference to the United States. According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, bilateral relations are at a high level and are based on the principle of non-alignment, non-confrontation and not attacking third parties. China and Russia consider themselves priority partners and maintain comprehensive strategic cooperation.
Conclusions
China is actively working to strengthen its bilateral relations with several European countries. President Xi Jinping’s visit to France, Serbia and Hungary is a clear example of this effort. Although tensions persist with the United States and the European Union in some aspects, China seeks to improve its ties with Europe and strengthen its relationship with Russia. These geopolitical movements have significant implications on the international scene and it is important to closely follow their development.
