The European Union (EU) is strengthening trade ties with China, with neighbouring India closely monitoring the development, as increased trade ties between the Asian Giant and the European powers might significantly weaken New Delhi’s role in the Indo-Pacific Region.

A number of European leaders have frequently visited Beijing in recent times. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited China in November 2022, before Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, arrived in Beijing in December. While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reached the Chinese capital in the first week of April 2023, French President Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron and President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen arrived in Beijing in the second week.

Ahead of her trip to China, Leyen said in Brussels that she would propose a new economic security strategy to the Xi Jinping Administration. She expressed hope that the strategy could be implemented by the end of 2023. Although the EU has claimed that this particular strategy would help reduce China’s monopoly in the Indo-Pacific Region, it is to be noted that China and France have completed their first round of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) deals through south-western Chinese Province of Yunnan.

According to diplomatic sources, another objective of European leaders’ frequent visits to China is to deter Beijing from providing Russia with military aid. Europe believes that if China stands by Russia with its military equipment, then the Global Community could not avoid a very large-scale conflict.

The Global Social Network
In a separate development, colleges in China gave students one-week leave in the first week of April 2023 to enjoy love. Although the move may seem surprising, several Chinese media outlets have claimed that the decision has been made as a part of a social experiment.

The NBC News reported that the College Authorities made an announcement in this regard on March 21. Later, colleges declared Spring Break from April 1-7 for students. Mianyang Flying Vocational College issued a statement, informing students to romance with their partners as much as possible during this period. The College Authorities further suggested students to find a partner, if necessary, and to spend quality time with them.

College authorities further advised students to enjoy not only with their partners, but also with nature, in order to feel life. The Deputy Dean of Mianyang Flying Vocational College stated that students would certainly enjoy nature well in Spring. He expressed hope that the Spring Break would help students develop their ability to think and to learn. Although no student had to do homework during this break, they were instructed to write down what they saw, learned, and felt in a diary.

The local media have explained that the birth rate is falling rapidly in China, prompting the Government to implement various plans in order to increase the birth rate. Different colleges have also come forward to help the Government in implementing those plans. College authorities believe that if love and senses of romance can be developed among students, then the problem may be solved to some extent. However, it is still in an experimental stage. Hence, college authorities sanctioned a seven-day Spring Break for students to enjoy love.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das