Defense chief visits nations in Europe

Lasting friendship

Wei's European tour came amid rising tensions between China and European countries due to issues regarding Xinjiang and the South China Sea, prompting speculation that China is bolstering its geopolitical influence around NATO for leverage in key issues.

The EU recently imposed sanctions on senior Chinese officials from Xinjiang. In return, China imposed its own sanctions on European officials, think tanks and experts who it said have consistently interfered in its domestic affairs by spreading lies and false information.

Last month, French warships and a submarine conducted patrols in the South China Sea. Germany and the UK have also announced plans to send warships to the region this year, despite China urging countries outside the region to stop causing trouble in the area.

Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said Wei's visits were pre-scheduled and not meant to antagonize any nation.

The four countries on his itinerary all share strong and friendly relations with China, as evidenced by their support for affairs related to China's core interests and by China's sharing of medical supplies to help the countries combat the pandemic, Cui said.

"The US and certain European countries may be irritated by China expanding military dialogue and cooperation with European countries, but China has no wish to undercut or confront the US or NATO," he said.

"But in regards to security issues, China also doesn't need to dance to the tune of the US and NATO."

Ding Chun, the director of the Centre for European Studies at Fudan University, said the recent tour by Wei signals that China still has many good friends around the globe and that any attempt to isolate China is doomed to fail.

"The US is rallying its allies around the world to cause trouble for China, from the Taiwan Straits to the South China Sea, and NATO is a key part of this strategy," he said. "Therefore, China expanding dialogue and cooperation with European countries is meant to showcase our pragmatic and peace-loving diplomatic vision."