China tells EU it doesn’t want Russia to lose Ukraine war Exclusive by South China Morning Post

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, on July 2 that Beijing does not want to see Russia lose the war in Ukraine, warning that a Russian defeat could lead to the United States turning its full attention to China. The remark, made during a tense four-hour diplomatic exchange in Brussels, has raised eyebrows among EU officials and is seen as a rare and frank admission of China’s strategic calculations.

The meeting with Kallas, the EU’s de facto foreign affairs chief and former Estonian prime minister, highlighted the growing geopolitical and commercial tensions between Beijing and Brussels ahead of a key EU-China summit later this month, South China Morning Post writes.

According to multiple sources familiar with the exchange, Wang rejected accusations that China is materially aiding Russia's war effort, either financially or militarily. He insisted, “If it was doing so, the conflict would have ended long ago.”

Despite Beijing’s public claims that it is “not a party” to the war, Wang’s comments appeared to confirm long-held suspicions in Brussels that China may benefit from the war’s continuation. One EU official described Wang’s tone as giving Kallas “a lesson in realpolitik,” including repeated warnings that Washington’s strategic focus could soon pivot fully toward East Asia.

The encounter was reportedly respectful but fraught, with Wang said to have delivered multiple “history lessons and lectures.” At one point, he hinted that the upcoming EU-China summit scheduled for July 24–25 in Beijing and Anhui province could be shortened, suggesting dissatisfaction with the EU’s stance.

Among the points of friction is the EU’s plan to sanction two small Chinese banks for allegedly violating sanctions against Russia. The bloc’s 18th sanctions package is awaiting final approval from its 27 member states. In response, Wang warned repeatedly that Beijing would retaliate if the banks were blacklisted.

Trade disputes also dominated the agenda. The EU has launched several investigations into alleged Chinese market-distorting practices, including subsidies and dumping. A more recent conflict has emerged over China’s export restrictions on rare earth elements and magnets—materials critical to European manufacturing of airplanes, vehicles, and electronics. EU officials said the measures have already forced some companies to suspend production.

On this issue, Wang offered no long-term assurances, only noting that China’s Ministry of Commerce had cut the processing time for export licenses from nearly six weeks to three. “Individual companies can always raise their complaints with the government,” he said. One EU source described Wang’s attitude toward rare earth concerns as “dismissive.”

Beijing’s summary of the meeting omitted most of the disputes raised during the marathon session. “There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the EU, and they have broad common interests,” read a statement from China’s foreign ministry. “Europe is currently facing various challenges, but none of them came from China in the past, present and future. The two sides should respect each other, learn from each other, develop and progress together, and make new contributions to human civilisation.”

Despite the diplomatic strains, EU sources said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa were “on the same page” with Kallas on all major issues during their earlier meetings with Wang.

Following his visit to Brussels, Wang traveled to Berlin for his first meeting with Germany’s new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul. German daily Handelsblatt reported that Chancellor Friedrich Merz also planned to greet Wang briefly as a “protocol gesture.” Later this week, Wang will continue his European tour with a stop in Paris to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

Although officials described the tone of the Brussels dialogue as cordial, some diplomats said the bluntness of Wang’s message marked a departure from previous engagements and could undermine hopes of a conciliatory summit in Beijing. For now, EU diplomats see little progress on key disputes—though they remain cautiously optimistic that cooperation on climate policy might offer a rare area of common ground.

By Sabina Mammadli