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Second EU official pulls out of trip to China in less than week — media

Frans Timmermans described the fact that both commissioners had caught coronavirus as "a complete coincidence," as the two "didn’t see each other"

BRUSSELS, April 17. /TASS/. European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans has postponed a trip to Beijing after testing positive for COVID-19, Politico reported on Monday, citing an EU official.

On Thursday, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell canceled his visit to China after contracting coronavirus.

"The EU's climate policy chief Frans Timmermans has postponed a planned trip to China after testing positive for COVID-19," a member of his Cabinet told the newspaper. "We are looking to get [the trip] back on as soon as possible," he added.

The official described the fact that both commissioners had caught coronavirus as "a complete coincidence," as the two "didn’t see each other."

However, multiple experts and journalists in Brussels suspect that Borrell and Timmermans’ cancelling their trips simultaneously may be directly caused by a very unsuccessful visit to Beijing by their boss, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on April 6. The German politician enjoyed a very limited attention, unlike French President Emmanuel Macron who visited China alongside her, but arrived for a lavish state reception.

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