What does China send diplomatic missions to 8 European countries for?

Chinese diplomatic mission to 8 Central and Eastern European countries – Twitter screenshot

Newspaper South China Morning Post China is reporting that China is sending a delegation to eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe this week, as it seeks to dispel growing doubts in the region about a “non-existent” partnership. limit” between Beijing and Moscow.

This is the first Chinese diplomatic mission to visit the region since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24.

According to Global Timesthe European visit of the Chinese diplomatic missions naims to further promote cooperation between the two sides as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-CEEC (Central and Eastern European Countries) mechanism and to clear up misunderstandings, especially China’s position National about the Ukraine crisis.

Wang Lu Tong, director of the European Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that Ms. Huo Yu Zhen, China’s special representative for China-CEEC Cooperation, will lead the Chinese delegation to the Czech Republic. , Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia and Poland.

The trip comes after China’s “17+1” platform – the country’s decade-long effort to build ties with 17 Central and Eastern European countries – hit a snag last year, when Lithuania became the first country to withdraw from the group on the grounds that the commercial benefits were not as great as expected.

Justyna Szczudlik, China analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, said the trip would be a “damage control visit” as Central and Eastern European countries were “very disappointed” by the relationship. Beijing’s position on Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Wang Yi Wei, a professor of European studies at Renmin University in Beijing, called the visit “very timely and necessary” because Beijing needed to clarify its stance on hostilities in the region. Ukraine.

“First, China must clarify what exactly the Sino-Russian relationship is. Second, China and Russia are two different countries. Third, China’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is from there to see if China can win support from these Central and Eastern European countries,” Wang said.