As the European Union and China prepare to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations, expectations are modest for any major progress when top EU officials visit Beijing for a one-day summit.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang this Thursday. However, the run-up to the summit has been anything but smooth.
Originally planned as a two-day event in Brussels, the meeting was delayed and relocated after President Xi declined the earlier invitation, according to reports by the Financial Times. Confirmation from China’s Foreign Ministry about Xi’s participation only came days before the summit.
Despite this uncertainty, Beijing is presenting the summit as a chance to reset its relationship with Brussels. Marina Rudyak, a scholar at Heidelberg University, noted that Chinese officials are consistently pushing for a more pragmatic relationship with Europe — one that emphasizes mutual benefits and minimizes ideological disagreements.
In recent days, Chinese state media have struck a notably positive tone, portraying the relationship as critical and forward-looking. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described it as “one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world,” acknowledging both “new opportunities and complex challenges” in the current global climate.
Sticking Points: Human Rights, Trade, and Ukraine
Despite efforts to improve ties, deep-rooted disagreements remain. Tensions over human rights — particularly regarding China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, as well as its policies in Hong Kong and Tibet — have long complicated EU-China relations.
The situation worsened in 2021 when the EU imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights violations, prompting swift retaliation from Beijing. Although China lifted sanctions on some European lawmakers earlier this year in a goodwill gesture, divisions still run deep.
A key area of concern is China's continued economic and political alignment with Russia. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has positioned itself as a neutral actor calling for peace, but the EU remains skeptical. Analysts argue that China has quietly supported Moscow through trade, including energy imports and potential dual-use technology.
Recent EU sanctions have, for the first time, targeted Chinese banks and companies allegedly linked to Russian interests. In response, China’s Commerce Ministry warned of retaliation and described the move as a serious blow to EU-China trade ties.
Economic Friction Grows
Another fault line lies in the economic arena. China remains the EU’s third-largest trading partner, but the trade deficit has reached record levels — €305.8 billion ($359 billion) in 2024 alone, up from half that in 2015.
European leaders accuse China of overproducing goods and flooding EU markets with state-subsidized exports, especially in sectors like electric vehicles (EVs). European automakers, already under pressure, have also been affected by China’s restrictions on exporting critical raw materials such as rare earth elements and magnets.
Beijing, in turn, has launched its own anti-dumping investigations into European exports like dairy, pork, and brandy — further escalating the trade standoff.
Wang Yiwei, a senior academic in Beijing, said that China’s frustration lies in Europe’s balancing act between aligning with the U.S. and maintaining strategic independence. While Beijing hopes for a more “cooperative competition” model, European leaders remain cautious due to U.S.-China geopolitical tensions.
What’s at Stake at the Summit
Analysts don’t expect any breakthroughs from the summit, but hope it will at least keep the diplomatic lines open.
“The EU is realistic — it knows that this summit won't change much," said Marta Mucznik of the Crisis Group. "But continuing dialogue is vital as both sides try to redefine their global roles in an increasingly unstable world."
"Edited and published by Veritas Global News to maintain accuracy and originality"
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