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During Chinese president Xi Jinping’s official trip to Europe (23-26 March), French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wanted to display a common EU front to negotiate with China on an equal basis and in accordance with EU rules.
Other countries, such as Italy, have preferred to take bilateral initiatives within the framework of the “New Silk Roads”, aimed at promoting trade between China and Europe.