Xi Jinping’s European Tour: Building Bridges, Condemning NATO Attack”.

During his first trip to Europe in five years, Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to build bridges with France and the European Union. However, he also used the opportunity to condemn the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in 1999. In a Serbian newspaper just before his state visit to Serbia, Xi published a statement highlighting the significance of the attack anniversary.

Xi’s European tour began in France, where he met with French President Macron and European Commission President Von der Leyen. Following this, they traveled to the Pyrenees, a significant place for Macron as it is associated with his childhood. The visit to the Hautes-Pyrénées department was intended to establish a personal connection between Macron and Xi.

After the more intimate Pyrenean break, Xi planned to travel to Serbia, praising the friendship between China and Serbia as forged with the blood of their compatriots. China consistently denounces the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade as a barbaric crime and criticizes the Atlantic Alliance for it. Despite tensions over Ukraine and trade disputes, both leaders emphasized harmony and cooperation during their meeting.

Serbia and Hungary are key partners for China in Europe. Both countries are involved in Beijing’s New Silk Road initiative, and Hungary has been supportive of China’s trade claims in EU. Xi aimed to strengthen ties with these countries while addressing issues such as trade tensions with EU.

During his visit to Europe, Macron and Xi called for an “Olympic truce” that would apply during Paris Olympic Games. This shows that despite differences over war in Ukraine or trade tensions, both leaders emphasized on harmony and cooperation.

Overall, Xi’s European visit highlighted China’s efforts towards strengthening its relationships with key partners in Europe while condemning past actions that have strained relations between Beijing and Brussels or NATO member states like France.