Trade relations between China and the European Union have reached a “clear turning point,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Beijing on Thursday after a tense summit with the Chinese leadership.
Expectations for the meeting in the Chinese capital, which marks 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, were low. The meeting came after weeks of tension, and the Chinese side abruptly decided to cut it in half.
“We expressed our concerns honestly and openly, on trade, investment and geopolitical issues. We have partially identified solutions,” von der Leyen told a news conference after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
Asked about a potential trade deal with the United States, the German said the EU was focused on reaching an agreement, but that all instruments were on the table until “a satisfactory result was achieved.”
She stressed that the relationship between China and the EU is “important” but also “independent” of the EU’s relations with other actors.
Xi had previously told von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa that the challenges facing Europe do not come from China. He called on the EU to “properly manage differences and disputes”.
“There is hope that the European side will keep trade and investment markets open and refrain from using restrictive economic and trade tools,” Chinese news agency Xinhua quoted President Xi as saying.
The EU has imposed tariffs on electric car imports from China over the past year, among other things, and European officials have warned of a trade deficit with the Asian country, which reached 306 billion euros last year.
Von der Leyen told reporters that the Chinese leadership has expressed its willingness to encourage greater consumption by its citizens.
She had earlier told Premier Li that she would consider “steps forward” to open up China’s market to European companies and remove export restrictions. She called her meeting with President Xi “excellent.”
EU leaders at their meeting on Thursday expressed their hope that China would encourage Russia to stop its war in Ukraine.
“It is important that there is a ceasefire and that negotiations take place at the table, that there is a genuine and sincere willingness to find a solution to stop the bloodshed,” von der Leyen told a news conference.
