Von der Leyen called on China to increase its participation in the peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a conversation with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, the European Commission press service reported on April 8, writes radiosvoboda.org.

Head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

The conversation took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union and China. As quoted by the press service, von der Leyen stressed "the importance of stability and predictability for the global economy."

According to the report, among other things, the head of the European Commission mentioned Russia's war against Ukraine:

"President von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU's unwavering support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, stressing that any terms of peace must be determined by Ukraine. She invited China to step up its efforts to make a significant contribution to the peace process."

Amid the new tariffs announced by the United States, the diplomat also stated the responsibility of Europe and China to support a strong reformed trading system — "free, fair and based on a level playing field."

China has a critical role to play in addressing potential trade diversion caused by tariffs, she said, especially in sectors already affected by global overcapacity.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he was ready to impose new 50% tariffs on China following Beijing's tariffs announced last week in response to Washington's actions.

Trump announced on April 2 that he would impose tariffs on goods from around the world entering the United States. The base tariff rate on all foreign goods imported into the United States will be 10%. But for European Union countries, it will be 20%.

Read also on Newsky "Ukraine's financial cushion increased by $2,2 billion thanks to the help of partners" and look at "Boring Pence" YouTube channels.

To always be aware of events, subscribe to TG channel Newsky. We also recommend current discussions of friends of Ukraine in North America on Rashkin Report YouTube channels.