The European Union bet on Japan and likes to observe China

This week, European leaders will meet their peers from Japan and China, amid high expectations over strengthening defense and trade collaboration with Tokyo, in exchange for very limited hope of the upcoming dialogue in Beijing. Ursula von der Line, chairman of the European Commission, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will go to Asia this week, where they first met in Japanese Prime Minister Shikiro Ishiba in Tokyo, then Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lee Qiang. In Japan, leaders intend to sign agreements related to collaboration in the field of defense and economic security industries, according to European officials who informed journalists about the details of the meeting before it was held. However, there are no expectations about issuing a joint statement to the Beijing summit, according to officials who spoke, provided their identity was not disclosed. The European and China summit does not expect the European delegation to reach any fundamental agreements at the Beijing meeting, as the purpose of the meeting is limited to ‘objective, open, direct, positive and constructive discussion’, according to one of the officials. The official added that Europe hopes to clarify what it is waiting for from Beijing to reform economic relationships, and to restore balance after the partnership between the two parties. “The atmosphere of the relationship between China and Europe became very sensitive before the summit, and although there are some positive factors that may result in between the two parties, such as customs imposed by Trump, but there are other negative factors, such as differences in Ukraine file, the improvement of Chinese European relationships,” Foreign studies in Beijing. The meeting could lead to an agreement in the field of collaboration on climate change, but according to one of the officials it is still not guaranteed. Relations between the European Union and China have deteriorated since the Corona pandemic, in light of repeated European complaints about Beijing commercial practices and the support for Russia. For Brussels, the collaboration between Chinese and Russian enterprises, which supports the Russian military industrial complex despite European sanctions, is a great dispute. European sanctions against Chinese entities introduced on the European Union on Friday have sanctions against Chinese banks and five businesses in China on Friday, as part of its latest procedures against Russia, due to the invasion of Ukraine. This step is the first European sanctions set on Chinese banks, which caused a Beijing protest march, which promised to take measures to protect and defend its businesses. In an index that reflects the escalation of European dissatisfaction with trade relations, China’s surplus is a record level for a similar period of six months during the first half of this year, according to data issued last week. Exports that strengthen the Chinese surplus have increased the rapid increase in Chinese exports, compared to the decline in imports, the trade surplus to approximately $ 143 billion to the end of June, which is the highest ever, although the first half of the year is usually less in terms of commercial activity before increasing the shipment for the holiday period. Tensions worsened after Beijing in April, which imposed restrictions on the export of rare mineral magnets and related products, confusing European car businesses and other sectors. Although these consignments have been a recovery over the past month, it is not certain whether it would be satisfied with the Europeans who demanded Beijing to address this issue before the summit was held. Von der Line accused China earlier during the meeting of the group of seven countries last month at the meeting of the group of seven countries. The visit to Japan is expected to announce new initiatives to promote the partnership with what European officials describe as’ the closest strategic partner for us in the vicinity of the Indian and Pacific. The officials have explained that these initiatives will include the fields of defense, security, industrial policies, address foreign interventions, address manipulation and improve the competitiveness of business, in addition to collaboration between the European Union and the countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Free Trading Agreement of Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), including 12 countries in the ASIA Pacific and the United Kingdom. Last month, the European Union and Japan held the first ‘safety and defense dialogue between them. One of the officials explained that the European Union and Japan would confirm their joint opposition against any attempt to change the status quo in the street of Taiwan by force or coercion, in a letter addressed to China, considered an integral part of his area.