EU leaders' China trips: Seeking help or stirring disaster?

European leaders and diplomats have been visiting China seeking help from President Xi Jinping to end the war in Ukraine, fearing that he might supply weapons to Russia. The EU is also concerned about a military escalation in the Taiwan Strait and wants to reassure Xi of respect for Beijing's control over all of Chinese territory and to urge calm. The visits are meant to secure Xi's commitment to peace, keep trade flowing fairly, and reduce Europe's reliance on China for critical resources. The EU's strategy on China remains much as it was enshrined in 2019 - that the Asian giant is "a partner, a competitor and systemic rival."