China and the European Union have started its Summit in Beijing on Thursday,  with leaders to discuss issues like trade, conflict, war, Ukraine, and many other important global issues.

The world does not expecting much from the summit because of uncertainty in the global trade and Chinese president Xi Jinping’s refusal to visit Brussels, where the summit was originally to be held. However, what is expected out of the summit is that the European Union–China relations might foster as the Donald Trump presidency in the US is creating ripples. The relation between the two economic powerhouses in the beginning of the year was optimistic. However, months on, China became more fragile than before.

The Chinese president confirms his meeting with the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president, Antonio Costa in Beijing this week.

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“I am convinced there can be a mutually beneficial cooperation… One that can define the next 50 years of our relation,” wrote von der Leyen on X after arriving in Beijing. These words echo the image of optimism between the both sides ahead of the summit. This summit can be an opportunity for the European Union and the Chinese government to advance and rebalance their relationship once again.
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday that the bilateral relation was at a “critical juncture of building on past achievements and opening up a new chapter.”

One of the main reasons that led to the deterioration between the relations of the two economic giant is the issue related to the Ukraine–Russia war. The US decision to impose sanctions last week on two Chinese banks for their role in supporting Russia has not been received well by Beijing. This has created an awkward climate, with reports coming in that state that the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi allegedly told EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas this very month that Beijing did not want to see Russia lose the war in Ukraine, contradicting China’s official position of neutrality.

After the European Union imported from China made electric vehicles last year, Beijing also imposed retaliatory duties on the European liquor. This month, Beijing restricted government purchases of medical devices, a response to the imposing similar limitations on Chinese medical equipment in the month of June. China has also raised export control on rare earths and critical minerals this year, and the European Commission’s von der Leyen has accused Beijing of using its quasi-monopoly on the global market in rare earth as a weapon to subdue competitors in the key industry sectors.

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