Li Qiang to make first overseas trip as Chinese premier to France and Germany

Next week’s visit comes at a time when Beijing is keen to improve ties with Europe in the face of growing US pressure
The two countries’ leaders, Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron, have both visited China in recent months

China-EU relations

Orange Wang

Published: 6:29pm, 15 Jun 2023

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang is heading to Germany and France on Sunday as Beijing seeks to improve ties with Europe in the face of growing pressure from the United States.

The visit, which the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed will run until next Friday, will be Li’s first overseas visit since taking office as China’s number No 2 official in March.

Li is a long-standing aide to President Xi Jinping and the visit takes place at a time when Beijing is placing a greater emphasis on its relations with Europe.

It has urged the European Union to insist on its strategic autonomy in face of US efforts to create a united front with its allies towards China.

Germany and France are the two largest economies in the EU and widely viewed as the main engines of the 27-member bloc.

Last Monday Li told a visiting delegation from the German Social Democratic Party, the largest partner in the ruling coalition, that China stands ready to propel its strategic partnership with Berlin to new heights.

Olaf Scholz, pictured with Xi Jinping, during his visit to China in November, the first by a G7 leader since the start of the pandemic. Photo: AFP

The meeting followed a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November, making him the first leader from a Group of Seven country to visit since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

French President Emmanuel Macron also visited China in April, saying afterwards that Europe must reduce its dependency on the US and avoid getting dragged into a confrontation between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan – a comment that sparked controversy on both sides of the Atlantic.

Choosing Germany and France for Li’s first foreign trip as premier shows “China’s high regard” for its relationship with the two countries, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said.

“In the face of the turbulent international situation, sluggish global economic recovery and increasing common challenges to humanity, China looks forward to further deepening and expanding its relationship with Germany,” he told a press conference on Thursday.

EU’s ‘de-risking’ plan for China meets resistance from some members

On Wednesday, Germany unveiled its first-ever national security strategy, which labelled Beijing as a “systemic rival”.

Wang also said that China-France relations “have maintained a good momentum” in recent years and Beijing is aiming to “make a new contribution to the healthy and stable development of China-European relations” on the visit.

The premier’s agenda will include talks with German government officials, a forum on economic and technological cooperation with Germany and the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris, hosted by Macron, Wang added.