China’s President Xi Jinping has turned down an invitation to a high-profile summit in Brussels marking 50 years of EU-China diplomatic relations, opting instead to send Premier Li Qiang in his place.
According to the Financial Times, the EU had hoped Xi would attend, given the milestone occasion, but Beijing has stuck to protocol—traditionally alternating summits between China and the EU.
This apparent snub, however, has only deepened concerns in Brussels that China’s talk of cooperation lacks real substance, especially amid rising global tensions. The EU has been working to improve its relationship with Beijing, particularly as former U.S. President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on trade disrupted traditional diplomatic dynamics. But with accusations of China backing Russia in the Ukraine war, escalating trade disputes, and an emerging corruption scandal tied to Chinese influence in the European Parliament, relations between the two sides have grown increasingly strained.
The EU recently launched a new anti-dumping investigation into Chinese exports of adipic acid, a key component in nylon production, while China continues to maintain hefty trade barriers that limit foreign companies’ access to its vast market. EU officials argue that Beijing, which enjoyed a €304.5 billion trade surplus with the bloc last year, isn’t making enough effort to level the playing field.
Meanwhile, Chinese diplomat Lu Shaye has defended Beijing’s approach, claiming China’s stance on Europe has always been one of “peace, friendship, and mutual benefit.” He also took a veiled swipe at the U.S., suggesting that Washington’s policies make China’s approach seem even more “visionary, fair, and reasonable.”
Despite ongoing diplomatic maneuvering, the upcoming EU-China summit remains in limbo. Brussels is still hashing out the timing and level of representation for the meeting, while Beijing remains tight-lipped on the matter. Neither side has issued an official response to media inquiries, leaving the state of their relationship as uncertain as ever.
