European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas Monday called for what she called “a dose of realism” in its relations with China after EU foreign ministers discussed security aspects of relations with China.
The ministers met to set the agenda for a planned July 2 Brussels meeting between Kallas and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi aimed at setting the tone for a July 24-25 EU-China leaders’ summit in Beijing and Anhui.
“It is clear that China is one of the largest trading partners, and we have a few issues like climate change where we cooperate, but every relationship requires a dose of realism. China enables Russia’s war,” Kallas told reporters after the meeting.
“We have wording from Nato that China is the key enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine. It carries out cyberattacks. It interferes in our democracies. It uses coercive trade practices. These aspects strain our relationship and make it increasingly hard to continue as before,” she said.
The discussion took place over lunch in a jam-packed monthly meeting, during which ministers attempted to reach a common position on the Middle East after the weekend US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, Gaza and the Ukraine war.
Iran will also be on the agenda when Kallas hosts Wang, with both parties thought to be worried about the potential disruption to their bilateral trade, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz is blockaded.
