Chinese President Xi Jin usually conducts state visits to France after five years. The two sides have reached a wide consensus in many fields such as Harbin conflict, Middle East issues, and artificial intelligence.However, some Western analysis believes that China ’s“ charm offensive ”for France and Europe aims to promote Europe’ s “lift the United States” and break NATO and the European Union.In fact, every time Central Europe is approaching, it will encounter such noise.These criticisms are on the surface of China, but the real sword refers to the strategic autonomy of Europe.
In April 2023, when French President Macron visited China, he stated that he insisted on independent diplomacy, advocated European strategy autonomy, opposed oppositional divisions, and opposed to camp confrontation.He was criticized by some people as the Atlantic Alliance in the United States and Europe.This time, Macron met with Xi Jinping in Shanghai Province that the world was full of uncertainty, and it is important to maintain strategic autonomy and unity in Europe.His strategic autonomy was once again blamed by those who advocated the construction of the United States and Europe to surround China.
Is the European strategy autonomous and even anti -US?Is Sino -European relations and the United States and Europe relations zero -sum game?In this regard, there are different interpretations within the European Union.Therefore, the European strategy autonomy will evolve in the twists and turns in two steps, but the event of the strategic autonomy will not change.This is not the result of European "lift the United States" or "provoking" China, but because strategic autonomy is in line with Europe's own fundamental interests.
The foundation of Europe's strategy is to save the soul of Europe's success after the war: a tolerance, balance, and effective true multilateralism.First of all, the European strategy autonomous in the field of political security, concentrated in tolerance and balanced multilateral diplomacy.This is not only very important for European and surrounding peace, but also an important manifestation of international justice.On July 14, 2015, the Iranian nuclear issue reached in Vienna was a major victory of multilateralism.However, the US President Trump's withdrawal agreement not only threatened regional stability, but also greatly damaged international justice.
In a joint statement issued by Sino -French leaders, each time reiterates to establish an international order based on international law and the United Nations as its core.The Iranian issue comprehensive agreement is based on the UN Security Council 2231 resolution. It is a key component of the nuclear non -diffusion system. It calls on all parties to fulfill their promises and comprehensively abide by international obligations.The foreign ministers of China and Russia and European countries and Iran have also held many meetings to reiterate their regrets on the US retreat, and insist on retaining agreements, and look forward to the United States' return to return.
Although the United States did not return to the agreement, Iran did not withdraw from the agreement itself, which means that Europe insists on tolerance and balanced multilateral diplomatic results on the basis of strategic autonomy.The Xi Jinping's visit law, the two countries specifically issued a joint statement on the Middle East issue, which had a clear language expression of unprecedented language.The statement said that against Israel's offensive Law, and forcibly migrating Palestinian civilian behavior, condemning Israel's policy of violating international law construction settlements.The statement pointed out that the founding of Palestine was "the only way to respond to the reasonable expectations of Pakistani people for long -lasting peace and security."These statements may be the most powerful political consensus word between China and Western countries so far.
Second, Europe's strategic autonomy is reflected in actively inviting China to participate in global multilateralism, fully borrowing China, and possessing a place in achieving Europe in the new era of multi -polarization.In March 2014, Xi Jinping visited the French state affairs. French party hoped that China, which had never held such summits, and hosted the National Group's Summit as soon as possible.In 2016, China successfully held the Hangzhou Summit of the Government of the 20th of the Government of the 20th. China initiated the first statement of the chairman of the climate change issues, taking the lead in signing the Paris Agreement, and driving the joint approval of China and the United States to join the agreement.At the end of 2015, Xi Jinping personally attended the Paris Conference and made a major commitment to give firm support for France and Europe in the global governance process of climate change.In 2018, when former French President Hollande visited China, he was met by Xi Jinping, and praised "China's positive role in international affairs, especially for achieving a climate change in the Paris Agreement."
Because of the important achievements of adhering to multilateralism, such as Europe and China, the Iranian nuclear issue and climate change in the Paris Agreement have not been destroyed because of the US unilateral retreat. This is also the independent success of European strategy.At the same time, retaining these agreements have expectations of the United States' eventually returning to real multilateralism.European strategies are not separated from the United States, but an open strategic autonomy.Strategic autonomy antonyms are strategic attachments. Sino -European relations are not affiliated to the United States and Europe relations, and they are also non -Sino -US relations.The richer the momentum of the Sino -European relations itself, the healthier the three sides will be.
The author is an associate professor in International Relations of Niigata University in Japan
