Chinese President Xi Hosts EU Leaders in Beijing for 50th Diplomatic Anniversary Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a summit in Beijing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to mark the 50th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic relations. The leaders discussed strained ties marked by significant trade imbalances, market access issues, and China's export controls on rare earth materials critical for technologies like electric vehicles. Xi emphasized the need for strategic choices amid global instability, urging strengthened communication, mutual trust, and cooperation between China and the EU. Despite tensions, including disagreements over trade and geopolitical issues like Russia's war in Ukraine, both sides expressed hope for advancing and rebalancing their relationship, with the EU highlighting the summit as an opportunity for mutually beneficial cooperation. State media portrayed China as a critical partner rather than a systemic rival to Europe, focusing on shared interests in trade, climate action, and global governance. However, expectations for concrete deliverables remain low, with a joint statement on climate action seen as one of the few likely agreements.