High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell met with his Chinese counterpart State Councillor/Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday 21 September in New York, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

They discussed Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine including its destabilizing global effects, as well as human rights.

High Representative Borrell reiterated Europe’s expectations that China uses its influence on Russia to end the war, which is causing a triple crisis around the world: food and energy shortages, and financial instability.

He raised the precarious situation around the Zaporizhzha nuclear power plant, stressing that a nuclear accident could happen at any moment and that a way to avoid a nuclear crisis needed to be discussed as a priority.

The High Representative/Vice-President and Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed their joint commitment to non-proliferation and opposition to use of WMDs under any circumstance.

High Representative Borrell and State Councillor Wang Yi, discussed human rights issues, including the convening of an EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in order to discuss issues of concern.