| Even before the presidential jet of China’s leader, Xi Jinping, touched down in Paris on Monday (6 May), the usual intense level of anxiety and neurosis was triggered among EU leaders about how to deal with the Asian giant. Could a free trade agreement (FTA) with India be the answer to its Chinese conundrum? In his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who wanted to show Europe meant business, Xi Jinping was confronted on trade dispute issues and support for Russia’s military capabilities. But in a classic move of Xiangqi, the Chinese version of chess, he outsmarted them by visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Serbian President Aleksander Vučić, both welcoming him as ‘Brother Xi’, quickly undermining any message of EU strength. The conundrum for the EU is how it can continue to trade with the country while balancing its geo-strategic aims and still confronting them about their trade practices of dumping goods and subsidies. Not to mention China’s increasingly aggressive behaviour towards its neighbours especially Taiwan, and the demise of human rights, seen by the persecution of the Uyghurs. But, at the same time, it needs to work with Beijing to deal with global challenges such as climate change, future pandemics, and the future of Artificial Intelligence. This balancing act is causing major headaches in the various western capital cities. | 