Macron & VdL Latest EU Leaders Set To Visit China

MNI (London) - French President Emmanuel Macron will travel with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to visit China in the first week of April, becoming the latest EU leaders to visit President Xi Jinping. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is making a state visit from 30-31 March, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held talks with Xi in Nov 2022. The increased flurry of diplomatic activity between China and EU leaders comes as China continues to tout its peace plan for Ukraine, and in the wake of Xi's high-profile visit to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

• The US has sought to downplay the potential for China playing any role in any potential peace talks in Ukraine, arguing that Beijing is not a neutral negotiator and that Beijing is contemplating providing weapons to Russia for use in its invasion.
• EU leaders have been more circumspect on China's potential involvement, though. The Commission has called the plan "selective," as it builds upon "misplaced" ideas of security and muddles the roles between aggressor and victim. However, some EU leaders might be inclined to give some credence to the Chinese plan if it is seen as being an off-ramp for Moscow and Kyiv that could end the conflict and lessen the continued economic impact of sanctions, aid for Ukraine, and high energy bills on national budgets.