China’s president arrives in Europe to reinvigorate ties at a time of global tensions

PARIS (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping is kicking off a three-country trip to Europe with the continent divided over how to deal with Beijing’s growing power and the U.S.-China rivalry. European carmakers are losing ground to subsidized Chinese electric vehicles. Diplomats fret about alleged Chinese spies in European capitals. And China’s continued defense trade with Russia worries anyone in Europe who supports war-ravaged Ukraine and fears that the Russian army won’t stop there. But Europe and China have hefty economic ties and Xi appears determined to rebuild and deepen relations with European leaders. Xi starts Sunday in France then heads to Serbia and Hungary.