It did not exist that way yet. For the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in France, President Emmanuel Macron had also invited Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The goal: to demonstrate unity with the Middle Kingdom and strengthen cooperation between China and the EU beyond the differences.
Common concern
It is the shared concern for their future role in the global world order that made this unusual four-way meeting possible. China, France and Germany as engines in Europe, and the EU Commission itself see a need for action to reform the multilateral world – above all because the US is getting more and more out of its way and thinking of itself.
So it certainly has power when French President Macron declares that Europe and China are two of the world’s three major economies. „It’s about showing that collaboration brings more than confrontation and we’re more open with openness than with isolation.“
Differences on many levels
The EU wants to work more closely with China – despite all the differences. They are available on many levels. The topic of human rights did not appeal to any politician. However, it was about China’s investment policy, such as the project of the „New Silk Road“, which is aimed primarily at the southern and eastern European EU countries and has the reputation of wanting to split the EU.
French President Macron therefore made clear words to his Chinese guest: „We respect China and are determined to promote dialogue and cooperation, and of course we expect our major partners to respect the unity of the European Union.“
Importance of the multilateral world order
China’s President Xi promised respectful cooperation with Europe. The „New Silk Road,“ he explained, has broadened the concept of multilateralism. Xi agreed that China will participate in, among other things, the reform of the United Nations or the implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
Chancellor Merkel also emphasized the importance of the multilateral world order. This was drawn as a lesson from the Second World War.
75 years after the end of the war, the world is at a crossroads: „Are we able to bring this system into the changed times, or fossilized this multilateral system, will be completely inflexible and one day will not be able to afford what it has to do it? “
Swipe at Trump
The four politicians want to counteract this. „But we will only succeed if we do not look at the dynamic developments so that the competition is understood as one who wins and loses another,“ said Merkel. „We have to believe that multilateral cooperation makes it possible for everyone to win.“
Despite the small swipe at US President Trump Merkel stressed that a multilateral world order without the US is unthinkable. Therefore, the Chancellor is also concerned about the trade conflict between China and the United States.
EU Commission President Juncker highlighted the strategic partnership in trade between China and the EU. At the EU-China summit on 9 April, Juncker hopes for new developments in terms of opening up China to European companies. The Chinese president had promised in his statement a further economic opening of his country.
