EU-China ties and Russia’s war on Ukraine [What Think Tanks are thinking]

Briefing 31-03-2022

EU officials say that the 23rd summit between the European Union and China on Friday 1 April will focus on Russia’s war on Ukraine, the engagement of the international community to support Ukraine, the dramatic humanitarian crisis created by the conflict, its destabilising nature for the international order and its inherent global impact. The meeting, to be conducted by video-conference, is also expected to discuss bilateral issues and areas of shared interest, such as climate change, biodiversity and health, as well as ways to ensure a more balanced and reciprocal trade relationship. The EU is also likely to urge China to end its trade ban on imports from Lithuania, which followed the country’s decision to open a de facto Taiwan embassy in its capital. In recent years, China has become more of a rival for the EU than a declared strategic partner. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on EU-China relations, the country’s attitude to the war on Ukraine and its policies on other issues. Analyses on the war and its implications can be found in a previous edition of the ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’ series.