China has entered into agreements of intent with several major European corporations in an effort to mend strained relations resulting from Beijing’s perceived support for Moscow during the Ukrainian conflict. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) confirmed that these agreements were signed this week between the top economic planner in China and prominent European manufacturing conglomerates, such as Airbus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Siemens, and BASF.
In a ceremony held in Paris, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and NDRC head Zheng Shanjie pledged to expedite the establishment of Airbus’ new assembly line in Tianjin, China. The NDRC expressed its support for collaboration between domestic airlines and Airbus based on their requirements.
Additionally, the NDRC aims to enhance cooperation with other relevant European companies in areas such as electric vehicles, energy efficiency, emission reduction, low-carbon product manufacturing, and new chemical materials.
As part of its efforts to improve relations, Beijing has initiated a charm offensive during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Europe this week, his first since assuming office earlier this year. Throughout his trip, Li engaged in discussions with European business and government leaders, emphasizing the significance of economic cooperation. Additionally, he witnessed separate signing ceremonies between the NDRC and European companies in Berlin and Paris, as reported by the Chinese planner.
China’s objective is to mend its strained ties with Europe, which have been impacted by its assertive “wolf warrior” diplomacy in recent years and its continued alliance with Russia despite the Ukraine conflict. Moreover, relations have been strained due to European Union regulators and governments imposing restrictions on China’s access to sensitive technology.
Earlier this year, Europe joined the United States in the semiconductor dispute with China, with the Netherlands implementing new limitations on overseas sales of semiconductor technology. ASML Holding, a crucial supplier to the global semiconductor industry, is based in the Netherlands.
