Breaking protocol, top EU officials to meet Xi in China over trade

Top European Union leaders are preparing to travel to China for a high-level meeting with President Xi Jinping, the South China Morning Post reported, signaling Brussels’ desire to strengthen ties with Beijing as tensions with Washington escalate over President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign.

The visit is expected to take place in late July, according to five sources familiar with the matter cited by the Hong Kong-based newspaper. Notably, this trip breaks diplomatic protocol, as the last summit between the EU and China was held in Beijing. Under normal arrangements, the Chinese side would now be expected to travel to Europe. The decision to return to China indicates a heightened urgency on the part of the EU to engage directly with Chinese leadership on critical trade matters.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa have agreed to attend the summit in Beijing.

In a related development, China and the EU are set to launch talks aimed at resolving the European bloc’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, according to Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper. The ongoing trade strain has gained fresh urgency amid the Trump administration's tariff-heavy stance, which has left global markets shaken and diplomats scrambling. Although Trump paused his latest wave of so-called “reciprocal tariffs” for 90 days earlier this week, the uncertainty has rippled across international economies.

Relations between the EU and China have remained tense since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Brussels has expressed frustration over Beijing’s diplomatic support for Moscow and its continued expansion of trade with Russia. While China has consistently stated that it supports a peaceful resolution to the conflict, its posture has done little to ease European concerns.

In a phone call on April 8, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told von der Leyen that China possesses the policy tools to “fully offset” any negative external shocks. He also expressed confidence in the country’s economic outlook, saying he remained optimistic about growth prospects for the world’s second-largest economy in 2025.

By Tamilla Hasanova