Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday to discuss boosting cooperation and opposing decoupling. As the current holder of the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union, De Croo was encouraged by Xi to play a positive role in fostering progress in China-EU relations in the new year.

During the meetings, De Croo also raised concerns about Chinese interference in European politics. These remarks were interpreted as referring to a scandal involving a far-right Flemish politician suspected of being on the payroll of China's intelligence services. De Croo urged Chinese leaders to respect each other's political systems without interference.

The official readout by Chinese state media, however, did not mention the tension. Instead, it emphasized the importance of developing China-Belgium relations. Xi highlighted the shared interests of both countries in resisting protectionism, safeguarding free trade, and opposing decoupling or severing of industrial and supply chains. He appreciated De Croo's open opposition to decoupling and welcomed Belgian companies to invest in China, while requesting assurance that Chinese businesses would not face discrimination in Belgium.

No immediate statement was issued by the Belgian government following the meeting. De Croo, however, took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his appreciation for the respectful and constructive dialogue with President Xi. He emphasized the importance of China and the EU as partners in addressing global challenges.

Prior to the meeting, Beijing opened its pork market to Belgian products after a five-year ban due to African swine fever. This was a reported priority for De Croo, who was accompanied by a small business delegation including Boerenbond, a farmers' association.

The meeting took place amid declining trade between the EU and China, as data released by China's customs authority showed a 7.1% contraction in overall trade between the two markets in 2023 compared to the previous year. In response, the European Commission plans to release further details on its economic security strategy, aiming to strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce dependencies on China.

Belgium's stance on key issues was reiterated by De Croo during the meeting. He affirmed Belgium's opposition to the decoupling or severing of industrial and supply chains and reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China policy.

Since German Chancellor Olaf Scholz broke the post-Covid deadlock in November 2022, several EU leaders have visited Beijing. Reports suggest that President Xi will reciprocate these visits in the near future.

This article is based on the original report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), one of the most authoritative voices reporting on China and Asia for over a century. For more news stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit their Facebook and Twitter pages.