Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Brussels on July 2, 2025 (AFP / François Walschaerts)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned his European counterpart against the risks of a “confrontation”, according to a statement from his ministry published Thursday, when Beijing seeks to present himself as a stable counterweight against Washington.
China and the European Union (EU) “should not be considered adversaries because of their differences, nor seeking confrontation because of their disagreements,” Wang Yi said on a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday with the head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas.
Ms. Kallas said on Wednesday that Beijing should stop threatening European security, notably citing cyber attacks, interference in democratic processes and commercial practices deemed unfair.
Europe is “confronted with several challenges,” said Wang Yi on Wednesday, including none, “in the past, the present or the future”, has been caused by China.
Wang generally sought to present Beijing as a counterweight to the American administration of Donald Trump, who threatened to impose generalized customs duties on European imports.
“The path taken by the United States should not be used as a reflection of China,” he said. “China is not the United States”.
The two parties also addressed international subjects such as Ukraine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Iranian nuclear, said the press release from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing and Brussels must show mutual “respect”, said Wang, adding that Europe should encourage a more “active and pragmatic” policy towards China.
Mr. Wang also met on Wednesday the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot.
China and the EU must “defend multilateralism and free trade … and work together to meet global challenges such as climate change,” Wang told Ms. Von Der Leyen.
Wang Yi is now expected in Germany and then in France, where he will meet the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, who went to China in March.
These visits occur shortly before an EU-China summit which will bring together Chinese leader Xi Jinping and several senior European officials in Beijing.
