Chinese President Xi Jinping held European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing on Thursday to start an EU-China summit aimed at recalibrating tensions.
National Broadcasting Corporation CCTV quoted Xi Jinping as saying that China and the EU must take vision while strengthening cooperation and mutual trust while making strategic choices.
The summit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the EU-China diplomatic relations. Key themes include China’s position on the Russian war in Ukraine and the intensified trade tensions.
Upon arriving in Beijing, von der Leyen posted on social media platform X, “This summit is an opportunity to promote and rebalance our relationship.”
Despite each other’s second largest trading partner, the bonds are getting more and more difficult. Last year, a record trade deficit of more than 300 billion euros ($353 billion), China was surprised by export controls for key rare earths used in electric motors and sensors.
Before the summit, Costa and von der Leyen visited Tokyo on Wednesday to deepen their cooperation with Japan. The EU and Japan have pledged to establish a “competitive alliance” that includes increasing trade and joint efforts to strengthen the rare earth supply chain.
