Enlarge image
EU Council President Charles Michel: Russia's "illegal war" denounced
Photo: POOL / REUTERS
Organizers of a major trade fair in Shanghai canceled a planned opening speech by European Council President Charles Michel.
In it he criticized Russia's "illegal war" in Ukraine and called for less trade dependence on China, reports the Reuters news agency, citing diplomats.
Michel's pre-recorded video was said to be one of several speeches by world leaders and heads of international organizations - including Chinese President Xi Jinping - at the opening of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai on Friday.
The diplomats, who cannot be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were surprised the speech was scrapped.
criticism of Russia
According to excerpts from the speech, Michel wanted to vehemently condemn Russia's "illegal war against Ukraine" and say that Europe was learning "important lessons" from it.
For example, Europe was too dependent on Russia for fossil fuels, which led to a trade imbalance.
In addition, Michel should also address Europe's trade dependence on China: »In Europe we want a balance in our trade relations in order to avoid excessive dependencies.
This also applies to our trade relations with China.«
The EU Council President also wanted to call on Beijing to do more to end the war in Ukraine.
"China can use its influence to stop Russia's brutal war ... through your so-called 'borderless' partnership with Russia," Michel said, referring to a pact Xi and Putin struck in Beijing before the war began.
"You, China, can help put an end to this."
Diplomatic aftermath
The case now also has diplomatic ramifications: "President Michel was invited to speak at the 5th Hongqiao Forum/CIIE in Shanghai," Barend Leyts, a spokesman for Michel, told Reuters.
“As requested by the Chinese authorities, we had indeed provided a recorded message that was ultimately not shown.
We raised this through normal diplomatic channels.” Neither the Chinese Foreign Ministry nor the organizers of the fair, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai municipal government, responded to inquiries, Reuters further reports.
In addition to Xi, the executive director of the International Monetary Fund, the director-general of the World Trade Organization, as well as the presidents of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and even Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko spoke at the ceremony, according to the fair's official website.
Both Xi and Michel are expected to attend the G20 meeting in Bali next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Since 2019, the EU officially regards the People's Republic of China as a partner, economic competitor and systemic rival.
The EU's foreign policy service said in a paper last month that Beijing should now be viewed primarily as a competitor advocating "an alternative vision of the world order."
col/Reuters
