EU leaders met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday for a one-day summit focused on trade imbalances, global conflicts and strategic tensions, but expectations for major breakthroughs remained low due to hardened positions and rising geopolitical strain.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa held talks with China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Thursday, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union and China.
Originally planned as a two-day event, the summit was scaled back to one day amid mounting global uncertainties, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and fears of renewed U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump.
Trade imbalances topped the agenda. China and the European Union have multiple disputes across key industries, but none as pressing as the bloc’s €400 billion trade deficit with China. European officials also raised concerns over Beijing’s support for Russia, cyberattacks, and its near-monopoly on rare earths.
Human rights issues in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong were addressed, but analysts say little progress was expected.
“It will be very hard to achieve something concrete,” said Fabian Zuleeg of the European Policy Centre.
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.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to the Vatican and Italy this week for a series of meetings, according to Italian media reports, in a visit that comes amid strained relations between Washington and parts of Europe and heightened tensions involving Pope Leo XIV.
Israel has approved a major defence deal to purchase new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from U.S. manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the country’s defence ministry said on Sunday (3 May).
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
President Trump has issued a warning to the international community, claiming a nuclear-armed Iran would strike Israel "very quickly" before targeting Europe and the United States.
Ukraine is monitoring “unusual activity” along its border with Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement released on Saturday (2 May). He warned that Kyiv is ready to respond if necessary amid continued regional tensions linked to Russia’s war.
Hundreds of young people in South Korea have gathered in Seoul to take part in a city-backed “power nap contest”, aimed at drawing attention to the country’s chronic sleep deprivation.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz is set to visit Armenia in early May to take part in the 8th European Political Community Summit, in what will be the highest-level Turkish visit to the country to date. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly expected to miss the forum.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to the Vatican and Italy this week for a series of meetings, according to Italian media reports, in a visit that comes amid strained relations between Washington and parts of Europe and heightened tensions involving Pope Leo XIV.
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
Germany has said a planned reduction of U.S. troops should push Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence, as concerns grow in Washington over the impact of the move on regional security.
Malian authorities have launched an investigation into suspected soldiers accused of involvement in coordinated attacks on military bases carried out by militants linked to al Qaeda and separatist Tuareg rebels on 25 April 2026.
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