Unexpected! Will Karas visit China? On August 1st, according to foreign media reports, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Karas, is expected to visit China this autumn and hold her first face-to-face meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi since taking office. The report states that this will be Karas's first visit to Beijing since assuming her role in 2024. The specific date of the visit has not yet been confirmed, with the core agenda focusing on the bilateral "strategic dialogue" between China and the EU.
Why is the news of Karas potentially visiting China considered surprising by foreign media? Aside from recent tensions between China and the EU, the fundamental reason lies in her deeply unfriendly stance toward China and her extremely hardline approach. Previously, Karas openly claimed that Europe’s reliance on China in areas such as batteries, chemicals, and shipbuilding has already turned the European economy into cancer, and that to cure it, painful chemotherapy must be endured.
If not for China’s support, the Ukraine conflict would have ended long ago. Europe lacks unity and should emulate NATO’s collective defense clause by establishing an economic version of a collective alliance—once any member faces so-called “economic coercion,” all EU countries would jointly counteract and pressure China. Since taking office, Karas has not managed to visit China, likely due to her longstanding biases against us. In the past, we even suspended two prior high-level pre-meetings between China and the EU, leading to a temporary standstill in bilateral communication.
Naturally, the current rumor about her upcoming visit is certainly not because Karas suddenly changed her attitude to become friendly. Rather, as the EU foreign minister, Europe recognizes it is absolutely necessary to engage in pragmatic, face-to-face dialogue with us. Occupying this key position, Karas must fulfill the diplomatic responsibilities assigned to her role. From our perspective, we do not reject dialogue with the EU, nor do we view Europe as an adversary. Being able to sit down and talk helps stabilize bilateral relations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872285657241600/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.