Tue 19 July 2022:
In the midst of tensions over the conflict in Ukraine, the treatment of Muslims who are an ethnic minority in Xinjiang, and an unratified investment agreement, China and the European Union will hold high-level economic and trade negotiations.
On Tuesday afternoon, Beijing time, the virtual meeting between economic representatives from the two sides will be co-chaired by Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the EU Commission, and Liu He, vice premier of China.
In a Monday tweet, Dombrovskis said, “I look forward to co-chairing this important event with China Vice-Premier Liu He.”
The dialogue comes after months of failed efforts to set a date for talks after the tense EU-China summit in April, during which the sides failed to agree on a joint statement amid divisions over the war in Ukraine and human rights concerns.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell described the April summit as a “dialogue of the deaf” after European officials failed to secure reassurances that Beijing would not offer practical support to Russia as it wages war in Ukraine.
China has criticized the sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow and pledged to advance peace efforts in “its own way.”
After Beijing imposed sanctions on European lawmakers in retaliation for the sanctions imposed on Chinese officials accused of oppressing the Uighur population in Xinjiang province, the European Parliament voted in May to “freeze” a comprehensive investment agreement that had been in the works for seven years with China.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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