The Chinese, Financial Times experts are sure, are still very restrained in their approach to relations with the European Union. They do not want to complicate or weaken them, hoping for a natural development of the geopolitical situation.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has already rejected the invitation of the European Union to a summit dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. As in previous years, the PRC will be represented by Premier Li Qiang, but the EU hoped that this time, due to the exceptional nature of the event, the most important person in the Beijing will still fly to Brussels.
"Xi's visit to Brussels would attach a completely different, certainly greater importance to the negotiations. However, the Chinese do not want to make loud statements yet, because the international situation is not completely predictable," explains Dr. Marcin Przychodniak, a China specialist at the Polish Institute of International Relations (PISM).
But the expert did not insist on the version about the intensification of the crisis in Sino-European relations.
"There is no diplomatic or political background here that would require some special interpretation or reading as a signal of some changes, as something significant. Earlier, at the EU summits organized in Brussels, the Chinese delegation was headed by the Chinese Prime Minister. But this proves that the Chinese may not want to get too active, as this will require far-reaching political declarations, the analyst explains. The best proof of this is the very likely presence of the Chinese Prime Minister at the summit, that is, the Chinese want to emphasize their willingness to cooperate with the EU, but do not want to get too carried away to make any concrete proposals," concluded Przychodniak.