European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head Charles Michel held talks with Jinping at the 24th China-EU summit, held at China’s Diaoyutai government complex in Beijing.
According to China's Foreign Ministry, President Xi advocated for "joint responses to global challenges and cooperation to promote stability and prosperity in the world." He expressed a desire to strengthen EU-China relations, particularly in economic, trade, and technological cooperation.
This summit marks the first face-to-face meeting between representatives of China and the EU in four years, amidst escalating tensions over trade disparities and differing stances on Russia's war against Ukraine. While China has advocated for respecting the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, it has refrained from publicly condemning Moscow's actions.
Therefore, during the meeting, von der Leyen urged Xi to "put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine". Michel echoed this sentiment, expressing the EU's desire for "stable and mutually beneficial relations with China," while also emphasizing the promotion of European values, including human rights and democracy.
Von der Leyen acknowledged the complexities of the EU-China trade relationship, noting the significant trade deficit the EU faces with China, which doubled in two years to a record EUR 390 billion in 2022.
Despite these challenges, von der Leyen revealed, post-meeting, that an agreement had been reached on a "common interest in a balanced trade relationship," though she did not elaborate further.
The EU delegation, including von der Leyen, Michel, and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, are also set to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang as part of their one-day visit.
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Source: PAP, IAR
