China should do ‘the right thing’ to build trust with Europe, former top diplomat says
Beijing needs to address EU concerns including over Ukraine war for ‘functional relationship’, according to ex-Spanish foreign minister
Gonzalez said building trust in a relationship was “not just about saying the right things, it’s also about doing the right thing”.
“If China really wants to invest in the future of the relationship with Europe, China knows what’s important to Europe,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of a forum in China’s Hainan province on Wednesday.
“It knows that climate change is important to Europe. It knows that a just and long-lasting solution in Ukraine is important to Europe. And open markets with fair conditions is important to Europe. Because this is what Europe believes in.”
It comes amid indications of a thaw in relations between China and Europe, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – seen as the EU’s most prominent China hawk – saying last month that there was space to deepen trade ties with Beijing.