Key points
- Both sides can find “common ground”: Xi
- Trade imbalance and China’s Russia ties strain relations
- EU seeks fairer trade, expects long-term challenges
- Both sides need to move forward on trade: European Council chief Costa
ISLAMABAD: Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and the EU must deepen trust and make “correct strategic choices” in a turbulent world, as he opened talks with the European bloc’s bosses at a summit in Beijing on Thursday.
Both sides can find “common ground”, he stressed, according to AFP.
More reliable partner
Beijing has sought to draw the European Union closer as it positions itself as a more reliable partner than the United States and a bedrock of stability in a troubled world.
“The more severe and complex the international situation is, the more important it is for China and the EU to strengthen communication, increase mutual trust, and deepen cooperation,” Xi said, welcoming EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Antonio Costa.
In that context of “turmoil”, Xi said, “Chinese and European leaders must… make correct strategic choices that meet the expectations of the people and stand the test of history”.
“Fruitful outcomes”
Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties, and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Xi said China-EU relations have come to another critical juncture in history, according to Chinese state-run, Xinhua news agency.
He said over the past 50 years, China and the EU have achieved fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation, delivering mutual success and worldwide benefits, and an important understanding and insight is that the two sides should respect each other, seek commonality while reserving differences, uphold openness and cooperation, and pursue mutual benefit.
These are also important principles and the right direction for China-EU relations in the future, Xi said.
Faced with accelerating global transformation not seen in a century and a changing and turbulent world, Chinese and EU leaders should once again demonstrate vision and leadership, and make the right strategic choices that will meet people’s expectations and stand the scrutiny of history, he added.
Xi underscored the importance for China and the EU, both constructive forces for multilateralism and openness and cooperation, to strengthen communication, enhance trust and deepen cooperation in a more challenging and complex international situation, in order to provide more stability and certainty for the world through steady and sound China-EU relations.
Both as “big guys” in the international community, China and the EU should keep their bilateral relationship growing in the right direction, and work together to usher it into an even brighter next 50 years, he said.
“Mutually beneficial”
Costa said both sides need to move forward on trade, according to AFP.
“We need concrete progress on issues related to trade and the economy, and we both want our relationship to be… mutually beneficial,” he said.
In Beijing with @vonderleyen for an important #EUChina summit with President Xi.
Committed to deepening our partnership. For concrete progress in addressing concerns. With respect, goodwill & honesty. Working together to uphold multilateralism.https://t.co/h3UwiXcf40
— António Costa (@eucopresident) July 24, 2025
Earlier Thursday, von der Leyen said in a post on X that the visit offered “the opportunity to both advance and rebalance our relationship”.
📍Touchdown in Beijing, as we mark 50 years of ties between Europe and China.
This Summit is the opportunity to both advance and rebalance our relationship.
I’m convinced there can be a mutually beneficial cooperation.
One that can define the next 50 years of our relations. pic.twitter.com/0SA3YS4k6V
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 24, 2025
“I’m convinced there can be a mutually beneficial cooperation,” she said.
Brussels has acknowledged the talks between its top bosses and Chinese President Xi and Premier Li Qiang later Thursday may be tense.
“We know that we don’t see eye to eye with China on many issues,” a senior EU official told AFP last week.
“But we believe that it is essential to have this kind of very direct and open and constructive conversation sitting at the table at the highest level.”
Trade deficit
Top of the agenda for the EU is the yawning trade deficit with China that stood at around $360 billion last year and which von der Leyen has described as “unsustainable”.
Beijing has dismissed those concerns, insisting that Brussels must “rebalance its mentality”, not its economic ties with China.
Von der Leyen has also said Brussels will demand that China eases market access for European companies and loosens export controls on strategically crucial rare earths.
Thank you, President Xi, for hosting us in Beijing.
Europe and China are global economic heavyweights.
Our relationship matters globally, and it must work for both sides, for our people and our businesses.
Let’s shape that future together ↓ https://t.co/h5VbJboUQL
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 24, 2025
The EU has imposed hefty tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, arguing that Beijing’s industrial subsidies unfairly undercut European competitors.
China has rebuffed that claim and announced what were widely seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and dairy products.
“Solemn representations”
A second key source of friction is Russia’s war in Ukraine — Brussels says China’s deepening political and economic relations with Russia since the 2022 invasion represent tacit support for Moscow that have helped its economy weather sweeping Western sanctions. Last week, the bloc adopted a new package of sanctions on Russia over the war — including on two Chinese banks, leading Beijing’s commerce minister to issue “solemn representations” to his EU counterpart, according to AFP.
