China rejects sanctions as Ukraine conflict tops summit agenda

China on Friday renewed its criticism of Western sanctions in opposition to Russia, as prime European Union officers sought assurances from Beijing that it might not assist Moscow circumvent the financial measures imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry additionally laid blame for the conflict in Ukraine at the very least partially on the United States for pushing to broaden the NATO navy alliance nearer to Russia’s borders. Twenty-one of the EU’s 27 international locations are additionally NATO member states.

At a digital summit, European Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell had been searching for indicators from Chinese President and Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang that Beijing would assist to finish the conflict.

“China disapproves of solving problems through sanctions, and we are even more opposed to unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law,”Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian mentioned at a day by day briefing as they met.

Zhao mentioned when it got here to Ukraine, Beijing wouldn’t be compelled to “choose a side or adopt a simplistic friend-or-foe approach. We should, in particular, resist the Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation”.

“As the culprit and leading instigator of the Ukraine crisis, the US has led NATO to engage in five rounds of eastward expansion in the last two decades after 1999,” he mentioned, including that NATO membership nearly doubled from 16 to 30 international locations, and pushed “Russia to the wall step by step”.

China says it isn’t taking sides within the battle nevertheless it has declared a “no limits” partnership with Russia and refuses to sentence the invasion. Beijing routinely amplifies Russian disinformation in regards to the battle, and doesn’t confer with it as an invasion or a conflict in step with Russian apply.

In a information launch following a primary summit session, Li was quoted as affirming the significance of China-EU ties, saying he hoped the 2 “remain open to each other, steadily expand market access, protect fair competition and promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation”.

“China hopes that the EU will also provide a sound business environment to Chinese businesses investing and developing in Europe,” Li was quoted as saying.

Prior to the summit, EU officers mentioned they might search for indicators Beijing is prepared to cooperate on ending the conflict. The assembly takes place amid rising detrimental sentiment throughout the bloc fuelled by China’s aggressive overseas insurance policies and commerce practices.

“The international community notably China and the EU have a mutual responsibility to use their joint influence and diplomacy to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the associated humanitarian crisis,” Michel tweeted.

The EU and #China agreed the conflict in #Ukraine is threatening international safety & the world’s economic system.

We share a duty, as international actors, to work for peace and stability.

We name on China to assist finish this conflict.#EUChinaSummit #EUChina pic.twitter.com/nQOMuKOCTz

— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 1, 2022

Underlying the EU’s expectations for China is the potential of penalties in opposition to Chinese firms that undermine measures taken in opposition to Russia. EU officers level out that 13.7% of China’s whole commerce is completed with the 27-nation bloc, and 12% with the United States, in contrast with simply 2.4% with Russia.

Officials mentioned in addition they want to emphasise the influence the conflict is having on the provision of fertiliser and international vitality and meals costs, that are hitting the poorest international locations in Africa and the Middle East hardest.

Other matters embody China’s journey ban on members of the European Parliament; Beijing’s financial boycott of EU member Lithuania over its Taiwan relations; the destiny of a stalled funding settlement; and civil and political rights below China’s authoritarian Communist Party regime.

Beijing has dismissed European criticisms as biased and pushed by an anti-China agenda being pursued by its chief international rival, the United States.

Beijing additionally sanctioned some European Union lawmakers final yr after the EU, Britain, Canada and the United States launched coordinated sanctions in opposition to officers in China over human rights abuses within the far western Xinjiang area.

The European Parliament responded by saying it won’t ratify a long-awaited enterprise funding deal so long as the sanctions stay in place.

Rights teams have additionally urged the EU to take a extra assertive stand with China over repression in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and elsewhere and the persecution of Chinese dissidents together with Sakharov Prize winner Ilham Tohti and Chinese-Swedish writer Gui Minhai.