China has canceled without explanation the visit of European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell scheduled for next week to Beijing, an EU spokesman said on Tuesday, as quoted by Reuters and Agerpres.

“Unfortunately, our Chinese colleagues have informed us that the dates scheduled for next week are no longer possible and we must now look for alternatives,” spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said in a statement to Reuters on Tuesday.

No reason was given for the cancellation, as Europe seeks to reduce risks posed by its close economic relationship with China, which Brussels considers an “economic competitor and systemic rival”.

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Josep Borrell was due in Beijing on July 10 to meet his Chinese counterpart to discuss “strategic issues” including human rights and Russia’s war in Ukraine, the EU’s ambassador to China said on Sunday.

The EU and China planned to hold two rounds of negotiations before the end of the year

Ambassador Jorge Toledo told the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Sunday that China and Europe are likely to hold two dialogues in September, one on economy and trade and the other on digital issues, ahead of a year-end leaders’ summit. .

“We want to work with China, but we need progress, and we need it this year,” Toledo said.

For the second time this year, Borrell’s visit to China has been cancelled. He was unable to come in April due to a positive test result for COVID-19.

In a speech prepared for a speech in Beijing in April, Borrell said the EU could not trust China if Beijing did not seek peace in Ukraine.

China has said it wants to achieve peace in Ukraine, but its position paper, published in February, was met with a cautious response from both Ukraine and its Western partners.

EU climate chief Frans Timmermans, who is in Beijing this week for environmental talks, was also unable to visit China in April because he fell ill with COVID-19.