BRUSSELS — European Union leaders will travel to China to meet their counterparts amid economic tensions and U.S. tariffs on July 24 and 25, diplomats told POLITICO.
The summit will mark the 50th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic ties in a time when relations are marred by trade disputes and European frustration over China’s assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Two EU diplomats told POLITICO that July 24 and 25 have now been set for the summit, with two other people close to the preparations confirming the timing. One of the diplomats said the first day of the meeting would be in Beijing and the second in Anhui, a province upstream from Shanghai centered on major industrial cities like Hefei and Wuhu.
A Chinese industry official acknowledged that the summit would take place in that week. Like the diplomats, this person was granted anonymity as they were not authorized to comment on the record on the summit planning.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa would represent the EU at the meeting. The European side hopes that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend on the diplomatic anniversary, but that has so far not been confirmed.
One goal of the summit for China is for the EU to remove its duties on electric vehicles. Last week, China’s Ministry of Commerce said negotiations with Brussels on that are in the final stages.
The Chinese Mission to the EU declined to comment, and a spokesperson for the Council was only able to say the summit would be in the second half of July. The Commission did not respond to a request for comment.
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