Qi Jinping meets with EU leadership in Beijing

The EU-China summit, the first in four years, has begun in Beijing. Participants, including Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, Josep Borrell and Xi Jinping, discuss various issues including trade imbalances and the conflict in Ukraine.

The first European Union-China summit in four years is taking place in Beijing on Thursday, December 7.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed in her opening remarks that the EU and China should resolve their differences. “Sometimes our interests align,” she said, pointing to collaborations on artificial intelligence and climate change. “And when they do not coincide, we must solve problems responsibly,” AFP quoted her as saying.

European Council President Charles Michel assured that the EU is committed to a “stable and mutually beneficial” relationship with China. At the same time, he added that he “will promote our European values, including human rights and democracy.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping noted that it is necessary to “jointly respond to global challenges.” He called on the EU to work with China to ensure global stability, strengthen mutual political trust and “eliminate all types of interference” in bilateral relations, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

This is the first face-to-face meeting between the EU leadership and Xi in Beijing since 2019, following a video summit last year. Today’s agenda includes a wide range of issues: from trade disputes to Russia’s war against Ukraine, writes Reuters.

After a working lunch, von der Leyen and Michel will meet with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, followed by a formal dinner and press conference. The European leaders are accompanied by EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell.