Why in News? Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his first visit to Europe in 5years with an intent of seizing opportunities to loosen Europe’s bond with United States and forge a world free of American dominance.
Which countries will he be Visiting and Why? The Chinese leader has chosen France, Serbia and Hungary for his visit as each of these disapprove America’s postwar ordering of the world, see China as a necessary counterweight and are eager to bolster economic ties. Also, XI wants to demonstrate China’s growing influence on the continent and pursue a pragmatic rapprochement.
Significance of the Visit-For Europe, the visit will test its delicate balancing act between China and United States and will be seen as a none-too-subtle effort of China to divide Western allies by Washington. Visit to Serbia will also coincide with 25th anniversary of NATO bombing on Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during 1999 Kosovo war which China continues to commemorate to denounce Western hypocrisy and bullying.
EU-China Cooperation of Late- European Union’s (EU) official doctrine defines China as “a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival” because the continent is torn between balancing economic opportunity in China with national security risk, cyber security risk and economic risk to various industries. EU also has serious differences with Beijing as it opened an investigation last year, into whether electric vehicles made in China benefited from unfair subsidies (decision is expected by this summer). This investigation has caused tensions with Germany, whose presence in Chinese auto market dwarfs that of other European countries. German manufacturers in China fear that any imposition of European tariffs could affects its exports from China and cause tit-for-tat retaliation.
