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OPINION JUNE 14, 2024 | The Indian Eye 12

The meaning of Xi Jinping’s Visit

to France, Serbia and Hungary

DR. TESHU SINGH addition, six measures to support this
initiative were announced.
resident Xi Jinping visited Xi Jinping visited Hungary in his
France, Serbia and Hungary third and last leg of the tour, as the
Pfrom 5 to 10 May 2024. He vis- two countries mark the 75 years of
ited Europe after a gap of five years, diplomatic relations. China and Hun-
and the countries have been chosen gary decided to elevate their ties to an
depending on their relevance to Chi- “all-weather comprehensive strategic
na. This year marks the 60th anniver- partnership in the new era”. Notably,
sary of diplomatic relations between China has used similar phrases to de-
China and France and 75 years of scribe its relations with Uzbekistan,
diplomatic relations with Hungary. In Tajikistan and Venezuela. In 2023,
Serbia, it marks the 25th year of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Or-
NATO bombing of the Chinese Em- ban attended the third Belt and Road
bassy in Belgrade. The paper aims to Forum held in China.
analyse Xi Jinping’s visit to the three The countries chosen for Presi-
European countries and the major dent Xi Jinping’s visit were symboli-
takeaways. cally significant. He chose France to
President Xi Jinping met French smoothen its relationship and Serbia
President Emmanuel Macron and President Xi Jinping met French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission and Hungary to highlight the benefits
European Commission President Ur- of close, non-confrontational ties with
sula von der Leyen in France. They President Ursula von der Leyen in France (Agency) China. It was clear that the mission
discussed various issues of global was to divide and conquer. The US
importance and deliberated on the tices. She pointed towards China’s 1999 airstrike on the Chinese Embas- envoy for the Western Balkans Gabri-
Ukraine issue and trade. Macron ex- “market distortion practices” and sy in Belgrade. Xi Jinping wrote in the el Escobar had mentioned that his trip
pressed concern over the ongoing war massive subsidies for the electric ve- Politika that NATO had “flagrantly was intended to drive a wedge among
and emphasised that there cannot be hicle and steel industries. Recently, bombed the Chinese embassy in Yu- the European states. “We caution all
security in Europe without security in the issue of overcapacity and dump- goslavia”, warning that China would of our partners and all of our interloc-
Ukraine. He said, “We are at a histor- ing underpriced products into the “never allow such tragic history to re- utors to be very aware of China’s agen-
ical turning point where threats are at European Union and United States peat itself”. Xi Jinping, however, did da in Europe and China’s agenda with
an unprecedented level and the risks markets has become a bone of con- not visit the site of the former embas- regard to the European Community.”
of global fragmentation are consider- tention in China-EU relations. At sy. This is interpreted as a potentially Xi Jinping’s visit could be instru-
able”. He also denounced the trade the trilateral meeting (Xi Jinping, positive sign that China is trying to mental in preventing the worsening of
practices of China. Macron took Xi Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von avoid inflaming US-China tensions. China-Europe ties, as has happened
Jinping to the Pyrenees Mountains, a der Leyen), Ursula von der Leyen In 2016, China and Serbia es- in the US-China relations. Further,
mountainous area in southern France indicated that Europe “will not wa- tablished a Comprehensive Strategic on the domestic front, the visit has
that is close to the home of Macron’s ver from making tough decisions Partnership during Xi Jinping’s visit. demonstrated to the Chinese public
maternal grandmother. It signifies needed to protect its economy and This is his second visit in eight years that Xi Jinping is still well received in
that Macron is trying to build a per- security.” However, Xi Jinping ruled to Serbia. At the press conference, Xi Europe.
sonal bonhomie with Xi Jinping. out that there is no such thing as Jinping said, “Eight years ago, Serbia Xi Jinping’s visit to Europe has
Xi Jinping called on France to re- “China’s overcapacity problem”. became China’s first comprehensive opened new chapters of relation-
sist a “new cold war” or bloc confron- China and France signed 18 co- strategic partner in the Central and ships with the visited countries and
tation as the European Union aligns operation agreements and released Eastern European region, and today heralded a new era of renewed ties
with the United States over security four joint declarations. The agree- Serbia is the first European country with Europe through enhanced soli-
risks and trade tensions. He also reit- ments included green development, to build a community of destiny with darity, mutual trust and confidence.
erated European Strategic Autonomy aviation, agri-food, commerce, and China, fully reflecting the strategic, Xi Jinping successfully avoided the
(to reduce European reliance on US people-to-people exchanges. The special and high level of China-Serbia escalation of a trade war with Europe
protection for its security) as a possible joint declarations reflect shared pri- relations”. Serbia has been a key coun- during his visit. Notably, the visit re-
route to a more multipolar world and a orities and areas of collaboration. In try in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. flects a subtle geopolitical strategy of
less US-dominated global order. Also, the French leg of his Europe tour, Xi It has become an important hub Chinese foreign policy.
both leaders called for a worldwide Jinping’s objective was to engage with and gateway to Europe for global in- Dr. Teshu Singh is a Research Fellow
ceasefire during the Olympic Games, Europe so as to highlight the need for frastructure and development strat- at the Indian Council of World Affairs
which will start in July. Macron ad- Europe to work with all global players egy. An agreement to deepen and (ICWA), New Delhi. Views expressed
vocated making the Paris Games and not be identified solely with the elevate the Comprehensive Strategic are personal
“a diplomatic moment of peace” United States. Partnership between China and Ser-
and respecting the Olympic Truce. Xi Jinping’s move stop from 7th bia and “build a new era of a com- This article first appeared on the website
Ursula von der Leyen made di- to 8th May 2024 was Serbia. This year munity with a shared future” was also (www.icwa.in) of Indian Council of World
rect remarks on China’s trade prac- marks the 25th anniversary of the signed between the two leaders. In Affairs, New Delhi, on May 30, 2024

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