China Calls on the European Union to Act More Independently of the US Foreign Policy

[beijingwalker]

China Calls on the European Union to Act More Independently of the US Foreign Policy​

| Apr 02, 2022 01:28 AM IST

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509983263758385155

China Calls on the European Union to Act More Independently of the US Foreign Policy and ... - Latest Tweet by The Spectator Index | 🌎 LatestLY

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China calls on EU to act independently of US foreign policy​

Beijing and Brussels clash over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Xi Jinping warns against ‘cold war mentality’
London 13 HOURS AGO

Chinese president Xi Jinping, top, speaks during a video meeting on Friday with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, lower left, and European Council president Charles Michel © Yin Bogu/Xinhua/AP

Xi Jinping has called on the EU to act more independently of the US as China and Brussels clashed over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the bloc’s leaders warned Beijing not to aid Moscow’s war effort.

China’s president called on the EU “to pursue an independent policy towards China” — a thinly veiled criticism of European solidarity with the US in blaming Russia for the crisis and in hitting Vladimir Putin’s regime with sanctions.

Speaking after video meetings that exposed widening divisions between the two powers, Charles Michel, the European Council president, said China could not “turn a blind eye” to Russian aggression against Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, admitted the two sides had exchanged “clearly opposing views”.

Anything China did that supported Russia’s ability to wage war would do “major reputational damage” to the country in Europe, von der Leyen warned. “China has an influence on Russia and therefore we expect China to take its responsibility” to help bring a peaceful resolution of the conflict, she said. Xi, however, refused to budge from his position that the US and EU had adopted what Chinese diplomats call a “cold war mentality” over the crisis in Ukraine.

While Xi’s diplomats insist China is a neutral party on Ukraine, they and Chinese state media have repeatedly endorsed Russia’s justifications for the invasion and blamed the US and Nato expansion for stoking conflict.

According to the official Xinhua news agency, Xi said “regional security conflicts” in Europe were the “root cause” of the Ukraine crisis. Xi “did not condemn, but also did not defend” Putin’s invasion, according to a person present during the video call, adding that the Chinese president ignored a direct question from Michel as to whether he supported the invasion. Instead, Xi referred to the importance of understanding Russia’s “security concerns in Europe”, the person said. In a separate video call with the EU duo, Chinese premier Li Keqiang insisted Beijing was working towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis in “its own way”.

China calls on EU to act independently of US foreign policy

Beijing and Brussels clash over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Xi Jinping warns against ‘cold war mentality’

www.ft.com

 

[MajesticPug]

Good. But I doubt European countries have the will and guts to say No to the US.

 

[Apollon]

Good. But I doubt European countries have the will and guts to say No to the US.

Care to explain how its Europes interest to have facist russia take Ukraine?

On a sidenote, he forgot to mention EU telling China to keep its nose out of european affairs.

 

[Oldman1]

Good. But I doubt European countries have the will and guts to say No to the US.

You expect the EU to join Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Support it?

 

[beijingwalker]

‘Take that EU’ – Chinese netizens mock EU’s counter measures for sanctions against Russian energy
By Global Times
Published: Apr 03, 2022 07:58 PM

Some measures and suggestions brought forward by European politicians to deal with the energy shortage situation due to the Western countries' sanctions against Russia might have gone too far, which has, instead of helped solve problems, led to online mockery from around the world.

"Control your own and your teenager's showers. And when you turn off that water, you say: 'Take that, Putin!'" This was the suggestion given by Margrethe Vestager, the EU Commissioner for Competition and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission last Wednesday while she was at a Politico Live event.

Vestager may have been attempting comedy, but Twitter users, including many European netizens, did not think so. After a video clip of the show was posted on Twitter over the weekend, it sparked ridicule from many netizens.

"Just a powerful, well-paid EU bureaucrat thinking people are more idiotic than she is," said Luigi Colline, an Italian Twitter user. He was replied to by Mauro Catellani, who remarked. "Today I took the longest hot shower of my life singing 'Take that EU!'"

Another twitter user Alessandro Gardini suggested, "If only we could turn bureaucrats' stupidity into energy, Europe would be self-sufficient."

Some netizens checked if it is still April Fool.

Chinese netizens were also entertained by Vestager's speech. "That's right, back to medieval times! No shower is the good old tradition of Europe," said one. "Why don't you suggest people avoid eating, in order to save food?" mocked another.

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, the US and its Western allies have escalated sanctions against Russia which have spread to many fields, leading to rising gasoline, energy and food prices in the US and Europe.

Russia accounts for over 40 percent of Europe's total natural gas supply and 50 percent of the coal supply used in Europe. The European natural gas price reportedly jumped 34 percent after ruble payment requirements for gas took effect on Friday.

In order to get rid of energy dependence on Russia, some European politicians have opened their creative minds to "claim a war against Putin."

Russia Today reported that Germany's Baden-Württemberg Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Protection Peter Hauk suggested people wear sweaters to deal with cold weather. "No one will die from 15 degrees in an apartment," he stated.

Moreover, worrying that the natural gas supply will be cut off, some people in Germany are rushing to buy and stock up firewood. Timber traders said that due to limited supply, it is currently difficult to meet public demand, CCTV reported on Sunday.

"Well they would live like cavemen. Next they will start to drill wood to make fire," a Chinese netizen commented.

‘Take that EU’ – netizens mock EU’s counter measures for sanctions against Russian energy - Global Times

www.globaltimes.cn