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Carol Yang

A European Parliament delegation is on a three-day visit to China to manage strained ties amid escalating trade friction, geopolitical uncertainty and expanding EU import curbs.
The eight-member delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by committee chairman David McAllister, arrived in China on Tuesday for the committee’s first visit to the country.
The trip to Beijing and Shanghai reflects a broader resumption of institutional exchanges, which were frozen in 2021 over Xinjiang-related sanctions until bilateral dialogue was restored last year.


In July last year, China and the EU held their 25th summit in Beijing, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, although there has been no confirmation that a high-level EU-China summit will take place this year.
In a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society to gain “a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective” on China and foster a rational and objective perception, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
Wang said both sides should address disputes as partners and avoid the politicisation of economic and trade matters, or overstretching security concepts into normal exchanges.
A statement released by the delegation of the EU to China on Monday said the discussions would focus on “evolving and multifaceted” ties, particularly on the geopolitical fallout of rising economic imbalances, the Russia-Ukraine war, human rights in China and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The delegation – comprising lawmakers from Germany, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland and Belgium – will also visit Shanghai to meet municipal officials and tech representatives, with topics to include tech sovereignty, competition and the global governance of AI.
The EU may continue to try to push China to use its influence over Russia to encourage concessions and advance peace talks in the Ukraine conflict, according to Cui Hongjian, head of European studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Their differing positions on the Ukraine war have long been a source of tension between Beijing and Brussels. Brussels has accused Beijing of aiding Moscow – including recent claims that China is helping train Russian troops – which Beijing has denied.
“To resolve the conflict, the EU should establish a basis for constructive dialogue with China rather than making unilateral accusations or demands,” Cui said.
He said trade remained pertinent to the delegation’s visit as the EU’s coming autumn summit was expected to outline a strategy on economic and trade measures towards China.
Following talks with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in late June, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said Brussels would seek to achieve “tangible” results through dialogue with China by October.

Brussels has long complained about Chinese overcapacity and export controls on critical raw materials such as rare earths, while Beijing maintains that its export restrictions comply fully with international rules and are non-discriminatory.
However, tensions between China and the EU were not expected to escalate as fiercely as the US-China trade war because Europeans were more pragmatic, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University.
On Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China was not the source of Europe’s economic and trade issues but it could be a partner in solving them, adding that Beijing “has never deliberately pursued a trade surplus with Europe”.
China’s trade surplus with the EU hit nearly €360 billion (US$411 billion) in 2025, according to data from the EU.
The EU has proposed barring Chinese firms from critical infrastructure and prioritising local goods in public procurement. Meanwhile, several other trade measures targeting Chinese imports took effect on July 1, including reduced duty-free steel quotas and a €3 customs fee on small parcels.
Wang Yiwei noted that the lasting conflict between the US and Iran posed a threat to supply chain security – a shared challenge for both China and the EU as major energy-importing economies.
“For the EU, China is both a source of industrial challenges and a crucial partner needed to solve problems,” Wang said.
One day before the delegation landed in Beijing, Chinese vice-minister of foreign affairs Miao Deyu met EU ambassador to China Jorge Toledo in Beijing, alongside top diplomats from Germany, Britain and France. All sides agreed to deepen cooperation on promoting the peace process in the Middle East, according to China’s foreign ministry.


During the meeting, the European representatives presented their united view that there could only be a diplomatic solution to the conflict, and any sustainable solution must also address Iran’s nuclear programme, the German embassy in Beijing said.
The European diplomats also strongly condemned Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and required Tehran to ensure free, safe and unconditional transit through the Strait of Hormuz, saying that freedom of navigation was a fundamental principle of international law.


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China

Diplomacy

Wang Yi calls on delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society for ‘a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective’


Wang Yi calls on delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society for ‘a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective’.


EU lawmakers arrive in China for high-stakes talks to manage mounting tensions

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Wang Yi calls on delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society for ‘a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective’

Wang Yi calls on delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society for ‘a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective’