Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) and Belgian foreign minister Hadja Lahbib (Francophone liberal) are embarking upon a two-day visit to China. Mr De Croo will be meeting the Chinese president Xi Jinping. Matters that may come up for discussion include the future of Taiwan that the Chinese regard as a breakaway province and Chinese attempts at espionage in Belgium.
Foreign News
PM De Croo in China for meeting with President Xi Jinping
Colin Clapson
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The visit is important as Belgium currently holds the rotating EU presidency and will also represent European interests. The Belgians aim to discuss everything that touches on relations with China. The Belgian leader will meet President Xi during a visit to the Forbidden City in Beijing, the former Chinese imperial palace.
It's been eight years since the last official visit by a Belgian leader.
The present meeting goes ahead against the backdrop of a more tense international situation. China today boasts the world’s second largest economy and is more and more flexing its muscle on the international stage. Mr De Croo recently described China as a partner, rival and competitor, which corresponds with the general European and American thinking.
Mr De Croo says trade relations between Belgium and China are important but that there is some imbalance. China needs to open its market more to Belgian goods and services.
In international affairs Belgium and the EU want China to play a full role in tackling the war in Ukraine and Gaza and help to find solutions.
As part of the EU Belgium has in the past criticised the actions of Chinese leaders. The visit comes on the eve of presidential elections in Taiwan, which China is determined to reintegrate into the People’s Republic. That too could clearly be a bone of contention.
Another potential point at issue is the treatment of the Uyghur people by the Chinese authorities. The human rights situation in the Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang has attracted international criticism. In an attempt to make the region more Chinese the authorities are incarcerating Uyghurs and other minorities in re-education camps. The EU is currently discussing plans for a ban on imports from Xinjiang.
Belgium too has been confronted with Chinese espionage. It’s emerged that a former far right lawmaker Frank Creyelman (Vlaams Belang) served as an informer for the Chinese for three years. PM De Croo earlier said that manipulating Belgium’s democratic system was unacceptable. There have been other examples in Belgium. In 2023 Belgian intelligence started an investigation into the Alibaba logistics centre in the vicinity of Liege Airport. The webstore stood accused of providing the Chinese authorities with sensitive information that could be used for other purposes.
Members of the Belgian delegation are taking precautions to ensure their smartphones and other data carriers are not hacked. As Belgium serves both as a NATO and EU centre sensitive information from this country is clearly of great interest to foreign powers.