Brussels, 12 April 2023 (dpa/MIA) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has postponed a planned three-day visit to China after testing positive for Covid-19, he announced on Wednesday.

Borrell wrote on Twitter that he was feeling well with no symptoms. No new date for the trip was given.

Borrell's visit was coming on the heels of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron's closely-watched trip to Beijing.

Von der Leyen had called for a reassessment of the EU's economic relationship with China ahead of the visit. Macron meanwhile caused a furore over media comments surrounding Europe's stance on Taiwan.

Europe should avoid falling into the trap of being caught in a foreign crisis, Macron had said.

Europe faced the threat of becoming a vassal between China and the United States - Taiwan's most important ally - while it could instead be a third pole, he said, referring to tensions between Beijing and Taiwan.

Beijing insists that Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, is part of its territory, even though Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949.

Tensions are rising in the Taiwan Strait following a meeting by Taiwan's president with a US lawmaker in California, as Beijing seeks to isolate Taiwan internationally.

Beijing started three days of naval exercises surrounding Taiwan after Macron and von der Leyen's visit.

The EU foreign policy chief was scheduled to meet with top Chinese foreign policy official Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu.

Photo: Twitter screenshot