On 4 March, EEAS Managing Directors for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Michael Siebert, and for Asia and the Pacific, Niclas Kvarnström, met the Special Envoy of the Chinese Government for Eurasian Affairs, Li Hui, in Brussels.

The EU and China delegations discussed Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and ways to promote a just and sustainable peace. The EU side underlined Russia’s full responsibility for the unprovoked and unjustified aggression, stressing that the respect for the principles of the UN Charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be the cornerstone of any final settlement. The EU highlighted that Russia’s war is an existential threat for its security and that therefore China's position on the war inevitably impacts our bilateral relationship. The EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine with whatever it takes to prevail.

The EU side welcomed Special Envoy Li’s upcoming visit to Kyiv, which they hoped would provide the opportunity for substantive engagement by China with Ukraine, more than two years after the start of Russia’s illegal war of aggression.

The EU expects China, as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, to play a constructive role and to use every occasion to uphold and promote the UN Charter and international law. The EU side stressed it expects China to call on to Russia to respect the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity immediately and unconditionally by withdrawing all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.  

The EU side reiterated its serious concerns, which were also passed at the EU-China Summit on 7 December 2023, regarding significant volumes of dual use and advanced technology items being exported from China to Russia’s military industrial complex. In this context, the EU urged China to take effective steps within its jurisdiction to curb the flows of those most sensitive items.

Both sides agreed to remain in touch on these critical issues.