The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, arrived in Shanghai on Thursday, desperately urging Chinese officials to view the EU as a significant global player.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post before his departure, Borrell expressed his frustration, imploring China to stop undermining Europe’s independent stance on international relations.
He said: “My first objective is to reaffirm to my Chinese interlocutors that Europe takes China seriously and has no hidden agenda aiming at derailing its rise.
“At the same time, we expect from China to take us more seriously and stop looking at us through the lens of its relations with others.
“Our assessment and conduct is driven by our own interests.”
Borrell’s visit comes amid growing tensions between the EU and China, exacerbated by Beijing’s reluctance to accept the EU’s evolving geopolitical role.
He urged China to shed the perception that the EU is merely a pawn in the US-China rivalry.
The EU’s frustration stems from China’s portrayal of the bloc as a mere extension of US interests in international affairs.
Despite Europe’s position, China’s state media continues to label the EU as a “puppet” of the United States, a narrative vehemently denied by Borrell.
He stressed that recent geopolitical developments, particularly the war in Ukraine, have transformed the EU from a mere economic power into a geopolitical force, compelling the bloc to take its strategic responsibilities seriously.
