Xi Tells Scholz To 'Grasp Security In Own Hands'

A call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Chinese President Xi Jinping this morning has seemingly revealed a concern within China over the deepening relationship between the European Union and the United States.

• Xi told Scholz that Europe should 'grasp its security in its own hands' and that 'China supports Europe’s strategic autonomy.'
• Xi: 'The European side should show its historical responsibility and political wisdom, focus on the long-term peace of Europe, and seek to solve the problem in a responsible way. European security should be in the hands of Europeans themselves.'
• Xi also said that the China-EU relationship 'does not target, is not dependent upon or subject to any third parties.'
• The comments in the call suggests that the deepening of NATO and the G7 as a result of the war in Ukraine has created concern in Beijing, especially in light of Japan's emergence as a key player in the Western alliance.
• Politico's Stuart Lau: 'China’s readout shows a deepening sense of worry about Europe’s closer relationship with the US under the war, while Scholz flew to Tokyo instead of Beijing for his maiden chancellor trip to Asia.'
• Scholz will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin at 18:00 CETfollowing Macron's address to the European parliament in Strasbourg.