Summit in Beijing: EU and China with new challenges!

Summit in Beijing: EU and China with new challenges!

Peking, China - On July 24, 2025, the Chinese state leadership will receive representatives of the European Union for an important summit in Beijing. State and party leader XI Jinping will initially speak to EU Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This is followed by a dialogue between the EU delegates and Prime Minister Li Qiang. However, observers assume that the one -day summit will hardly deliver any concrete results, since the tone in the mutual ratio has recently deteriorated. In addition to political encounters, a meeting between European and Chinese company representatives is also planned to focus on economic relations.

for Brussels are in particular China's role in the Russian attack war against Ukraine and problems in the trade of high priority. China is the second most important trade partner of the EU, while conversely the EU is also of considerable economic importance for China. But the balance sheet is negative for the EU: trade records a deficit of more than 300 billion euros. Additional uncertainties result from Beijing's export controls to rare earths that present European industrial companies to challenges.

growing tensions and challenges

The relationship between China and the EU stands on a crossroads. While 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationships between the two sides, these are shaped by increasing tensions and challenges. The bilateral trade, which started at around $ 2.4 billion in 1975, has increased to an impressive $ 780 billion annually. However, disputes over tariffs, human rights and geopolitical questions put a strain on the partnership. In particular, the dispute over state subsidies for Chinese electric vehicles means that the EU raises tariffs, which answers China with retaliatory tariffs on European industries, including the French Cognac sector.

The political climate in Brussels is also tense. After the European elections 2024, Chinese politics is controversial; While MPs from Baltic States and Eastern Europe are demanding stricter trade barriers, representatives from Germany and France advocate a balanced commitment with China. Ursula von der Leyen is leading the European Commission, which tries to maintain a balance between diplomacy and strategic autonomy, while Kaja Kallas, the new high representative of the EU for foreign and security policy, addressed the challenges of Chinese economic compulsion from December 2024.

summary of the current risks

The tensions within the Commission, including between Kallas and trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, are critically viewed by the Brussels press. There is also concern about Beijing's lack of willingness to dialogue and lobbying as well as allegations regarding economic assault and espionage. In view of these challenges, the EU plans to strengthen its efforts to combat foreign interference in security -relevant sectors. In this tense situation, the support of the EU for Ukraine in the context of Russian aggression remains a central concern, while the inner climate is increasingly stressed by upcoming decisions, such as a general strike on March 31.

The coming months are crucial for the stability of the relationships between China and the EU, which subjects both the economic and political interplay of a critical assessment.

like EU Reporter address the growing tensions and the complexity of the relationships.