Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing, facing tensions over geopolitical disputes and trade imbalances. EU leaders expressed concerns over China's export surplus and its alleged support for Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, while China denied responsibility and sought deeper partnerships. Xi urged the EU to manage differences and avoid restrictive trade measures. Despite these tensions, both parties agreed on advancing cooperation regarding climate change and established a new mechanism for rare earth materials licenses.
"As our cooperation has deepened, so have imbalances," von der Leyen told Xi, describing EU-China trade imbalances as having reached "an inflection point" where China must "come forward with real solutions."
Xi urged the bloc to "properly handle differences and frictions" and stated that "there are no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical contradictions between the two sides."
"It is hoped that the European side will keep the trade and investment market open and refrain from using restrictive economic and trade tools," Xi stated.
Despite discrepancies over trade and the Ukraine war, both sides found common ground on climate change, reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation.
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