EU’s von der Leyen to skip Macron’s ‘strictly bilateral’ talks with Xi: Report

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not join French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to China next week, according to South China Morning Post, breaking a tradition from recent joint diplomatic engagements with Beijing. Macron had previously involved the European Union in key meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, an approach seen as an effort to “Europeanise” France’s dialogue with Beijing. Von der Leyen joined him in Paris during Xi’s visit last year and travelled with him to Beijing in 2023. Before her, former Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker accompanied Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel when they…