EU-China Summit Exposes Deepening Tensions Over Trade, Ukraine, and Climate

The 25th EU-China summit in Beijing marked 50 years of diplomatic ties but was dominated by growing tensions over trade imbalances, China's support for Russia, and limited progress on climate cooperation. European leaders pressed China to open its markets and address economic imbalances, warning that continued inaction could threaten future trade openness. While both sides issued a joint statement on climate action, the summit yielded few concrete results and highlighted persistent disagreements, especially regarding China's stance on the Ukraine war and EU sanctions on Chinese banks. European businesses called for a return to free and fair trade, but expectations for a breakthrough were low. The summit concluded early, underscoring the current 'inflection point' in EU-China relations.