There was a question posed in Rome recently in regards to China’s top diplomat’s position on the question of autonomy and freedom in Hong Kong. That same diplomat was asked about Beijing’s treatment of the Muslim authority minority Uighurs.

Ironically enough, he was also harassed by the German foreign minister in Berlin for making threatening remarks to the European officials. Coming from a five-stop European tour meant to mend fences with the European government — Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi — intended to make an effort to wage a “charm offensive after the secretary of state Mike Pompeo called for a cold war-style alliance of western democracies to counter China.” This is according to The Washington Post on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020.

Wang Yi was continuously riddled with questions and assumptions concerning many matters; those matters being questions about human rights in Hong Kong, feuds with Czech politicians over Taiwan. These issues surfaced a realization that China has truly become polarizing in Europe in its own right.

This even goes as far as to label China as being “viewed by Beijing as a more pragmatic and potentially pliable partner than overtly hostile Washington.” With this in mind, Beijing views China as the “biggest prize to be secured in the current stage of U.S. China rivalry.” Meaning Beijing most likely intends to use China’s advanced structure to its tactical advantage in the war with the United States.

Apparently the French have also got involved in the mix. France’s President Emmanuel Macron gave a speech calling upon Europe to bolster homegrown 5G technology, a field that happens to be led by the Chinese firm in Huawei.

Also on Wednesday, German officials revealed that an Indo Pacific cooperation plan would be necessary to reduce the steady reliance and dependence on China. Wang Yi’s visits also apparently did not satisfy the needs of the Europeans and are currently still trying to relieve them.

Written by Tyquan Walker

Edited by Sheena Robertson

Sources:

The Washington Post: China is trying to mend fences in Europe. It’s not going well

Featured and inset image courtesy of Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Flickr Page — Creative Commons license