Sputnik
China experts told Sputnik that Chairman Xi Jinping's recent visit to Europe won't bring immediate changes but is part of Beijing's broader and long-term geopolitical strategy.
Xi Jinping's recent European tour was largely perceived as a PR success by China, highlighting the EU's interest in Chinese investments and market access despite its tough rhetoric, according to Jeff J. Brown.
Brown is the author of The China Trilogy, presents blogs and podcasts at China Rising Radio Sinoland, is the producer of China Tech News Flash!, is co-founder and curator of the Bioweapon Truth Commission Global Online Library, and is the founder of Seek Truth From Facts Foundation.
"[French President Emmanuel] Macron and Xi signed 18 agreements on technology, agriculture, aviation, green development, SME [small and medium enterprise] cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, which is good PR for both countries," Brown told Sputnik, commenting on the first leg of Xi's trip.
"Xi and Macron will play to their citizens’ hope for deeper Sino-European cooperation and the Old Continent’s industrial sector will continue to quietly invest billions in China, behind the back of Uncle Sam."
The EU is confronted with difficult decisions, with the US mulling sanctions on those Chinese banks that finance alleged dual-use technology exports to Russia and potentially pressuring the European bloc to take similar action, European think tank Bruegel - which is led by a former IMF official - has suggested.
In April, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing over supposed dual-use sales to Russia. Earlier this month, Washington imposed restrictions on 31 Chinese companies allegedly "providing critical technologies" to Russia. In contrast, the EU has banned just a few Chinese firms so far, according to the think tank.
In addition, the European Commission is continuing to investigate Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines as part of its efforts to slap additional tariffs on the People's Republic's exports to Europe.
"The moment of truth will come when the EU needs to take real action on either of these two fronts and the differences between EU members become unavoidable," the think tank wrote.
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