European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday for a one-day summit focused on trade imbalances, rare earths, and Ukraine, amid escalating tensions between the two sides.
They're expected to focus on trade disputes and geopolitical concerns such as Ukraine.
The one-day meeting comes amid strained relations between the European Union and China, marked by disagreements over market access, rare earth exports, electric vehicles (EVs), and industrial overcapacity. Both European leaders also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to address what they called a growing imbalance in trade relations.
Ahead of the summit, von der Leyen struck a measured tone on X, formerly Twitter, saying the talks were an opportunity to “advance and rebalance” EU-China ties.
“I’m convinced there can be a mutually beneficial cooperation,” she wrote.
In contrast, the weeks leading up to the talks saw increasingly hawkish rhetoric from Brussels, with officials warning about Chinese market practices and calling for a more assertive stance.
China’s state news agency Xinhua appeared to tone down tensions, calling the summit a chance to focus on “shared interests” and reminding readers that China should be viewed as a “critical partner,” not just a systemic rival.
“These areas of common ground should not be eclipsed by isolated points of friction,” it said.
Despite the challenges, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to economic cooperation, with von der Leyen calling for “mutually beneficial ties.” However, observers noted a hardened stance from Beijing.
“China has come away emboldened from its confrontation with Trump,” Zuleeg said, adding that Beijing now sees “less of a need to woo Europe.”
China remains the EU’s second-largest trading partner, but divisions on security, values and global governance continue to define the relationship.
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for ...
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanita...
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say fa...
The World Urban Forum (WUF) opens this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together governments, city leaders, urban planners, researchers and ...
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, mark...
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for action on housing, sustainable development and resilient cities, as rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on infrastructure, services and living conditions.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) opens this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together governments, city leaders, urban planners, researchers and civil society to exchange ideas on how cities can become more inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the U.S. military blockade of Iran’s southern ports could trigger a new global financial crisis as the Tehran-Washington standoff around the strategic Strait of Hormuz persists.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
Every day, an elderly woman in China’s Shandong province looks forward to a video call from her son. He asks about her health, tells her he has been busy with work, and promises he will come home once he has saved enough money. She tells him she misses him. He tells her to take care of herself.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment