China has appointed its former ambassador to France, Lu Shae, as special representative for European affairs, Reuters reported, citing the Chinese Foreign Ministry, quoted by BTA.
The 60-year-old Lu has earned a reputation for his often sharp remarks while in the post in Paris. Among them is a 2023 claim that former Soviet states “have no effective status in international law,” which angered a number of EU member states.
Lu will be committed to promoting dialogue and cooperation with Europe and working for the “stable and healthy development of China-EU relations,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.
His appointment comes at a time when China-EU relations are at a turning point. Last week, US President Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on China and threatened to impose tariffs on Europe as part of his isolationist agenda. Trump has also repeatedly said he wants to buy Greenland, which is a Danish territory.
Amidst the tensions in transatlantic relations, hawkish politicians such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have shown signs of being ready to rethink relations between Beijing and Brussels, which have deteriorated sharply over trade disputes and China's ties with Russia, Reuters reported.
China's Foreign Ministry said it was ready to work with Brussels to find answers to "global challenges" after von der Leyen said on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the two countries should "find solutions" that are mutually beneficial - a noticeable change in tone towards China.