China confirms Xi meeting with EU's von der Leyen, Costa

China confirmed on Monday that it will host a high-level summit with the European Union in Beijing this week to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations. The summit aims to address ongoing trade disputes amid global trade uncertainties.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are scheduled to visit China on Thursday, where they will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as announced by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China's Premier Li Qiang will co-chair the 25th China-EU summit alongside the EU leaders on the same day.

The meeting comes as global trade tensions rise, with China seeking to strengthen economic and political ties with the EU to mitigate risks in its relationship with the United States.

EU-China relations have been strained since 2021, when Brussels imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, leading to retaliatory sanctions from Beijing that halted much of their bilateral exchanges.

Trade disputes between the two sides have also been contentious in recent years, particularly concerning Chinese electric vehicles, European brandy and pork, government procurement of medical devices, and rare earths.

The summit is seen as crucial for addressing these issues, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who expressed hope for cooperation between the two parties.

"China believes that after 50 years of development, China-EU relations are mature and stable, though facing challenges," he said.

In a recent speech, von der Leyen acknowledged China's economic achievements but criticized the country for flooding global markets with excess capacity, restricting access to its market, and effectively supporting Russia's war economy.

The EU, which views China as both a partner for cooperation and an economic competitor, has emphasized the importance of improving relations amid global trade uncertainties. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of new tariffs in April, von der Leyen told Premier Li in a phone call that the EU and China share the responsibility to support a fair, free, and reformed global trading system.

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