EU-China Summit: Xi Says China, EU Must Deepen Trust, von der Leyen Urges “Real Solutions”
At the opening of the EU-China Summit on Thursday, the Chinese president stated that "there are no fundamental conflicts of interest" between China and the EU."
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (R) speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) during the opening remarks of the EU-China Summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 24, 2025.
Andres Martinez Casares / POOL / AFP
At the opening of the EU-China Summit on Thursday, the Chinese president stated that "there are no fundamental conflicts of interest" between China and the EU."
Welcoming EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief António Costa at Beijing’s ornate Great Hall of the People at the opening of the EU-China Summit on July 24th, Chinese President Xi Jinping said “the more severe and complex the international situation is, the more important it is for China and the EU to strengthen communication, increase mutual trust and deepen cooperation.” “The challenges facing Europe at present do not come from China,” he added.
There are no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical contradictions between China and the EU,
the Chinese leader said.
In response, von der Leyen noted that “it is vital for China and Europe to acknowledge our respective concerns and come forward with real solutions.” Ties had reached an “inflection point,” she warned.
António Costa stressed to the Chinese leader that the bloc wanted to see “concrete progress on issues related to trade and the economy, and we both want our relationship to be … mutually beneficial.”
Top of the agenda for the EU is the yawning trade deficit with China that stood at around $360 billion last year and which von der Leyen has described as “unsustainable.” Beijing has dismissed those concerns, insisting that Brussels must “rebalance its mentality,” not its economic ties with China.
A second key source of friction is Russia’s war in Ukraine. Brussels says China’s deepening political and economic relations with Russia since the 2022 invasion represent tacit support for Moscow that have helped its economy weather sweeping Western sanctions.
Meeting Xi on Thursday, Cósta urged China to “use its influence” on Russia to help end Moscow’s “war of aggression.”
Last week, the bloc adopted a new package of sanctions on Russia over the war, including on two Chinese banks, leading Beijing’s commerce minister to issue “solemn representations” to his EU counterpart.
“This is a core issue for Europe,” the senior EU official said. “We’re not naive. We’re not asking China to cut relations, but to step up the customs and financial controls.”
