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Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly snubbed an invitation to attend a summit in Brussels to mark the 50th anniversary of EU- China diplomatic ties, with Beijing indicating that Premier Li Qiang will represent China in meetings with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Traditionally, the premier attends the Brussels summit, while the president hosts the event in Beijing, the report said.
Xi’s decline has raised concerns in Brussels, with many EU officials questioning the sincerity of China’s efforts to cooperate, particularly in light of US President Donald Trump’s stance on multilateralism.
The 50th anniversary summit comes at a particularly sensitive time for the EU-China relations as tensions between the two sides have escalated with the bloc accusing China of supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine and Beijing facing criticism for not distancing itself from Moscow.
Trade relations have also soured, with the EU imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, claiming they are unfairly subsidised. The EU argues that China has not done enough to reduce trade barriers or rebalance its market by addressing industrial subsidies.
“The relationship is on ice,” a senior EU diplomat told FT, adding, “It’s a change of tone, not substance. Their policy is not going to change, and the same is true for us.”
In response, China’s special representative for European Affairs Lu Shaye defended Beijing’s stance, calling its EU policy one of “peace, friendship, cooperation, and mutual benefit.” Contrasting China’s approach with the US administration’s stance under Trump, Shaye suggested that Beijing’s diplomacy toward Europe was more “visionary, fair, and reasonable.”
Despite the tensions, the EU is continuing to engage with China with the bloc’s trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič scheduled to visit China at the end of the month, signalling that both sides are still seeking areas of cooperation.
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