European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with Chinese Premier Li Qiang for the first time since starting her second term in office in December.
According to a readout of the call from Brussels the pair agreed to host an EU-China summit in July, although it was not clear whether Chinese President Xi Jinping would attend.
“Looking ahead, President von der Leyen noted that the upcoming EU-China Summit in July would be a fitting opportunity to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” it read.
The EU raised its trade grievances with China, but the tone of the readout suggested the bloc was interested in soothing ailing ties with Beijing, which have deteriorated rapidly in recent years.
With both sides feeling the pressure from Trump’s policies and nursing struggling economies, many have speculated it would be logical to steady the ship – even if European capitals remain anxious about the impact of China’s economic policies.
“The president underscored the vital importance of stability and predictability for the global economy. In response to the widespread disruption caused by the US tariffs, President von der Leyen stressed the responsibility of Europe and China, as two of [the] world’s largest markets, to support a strong reformed trading system, free, fair and founded on a level playing field,” the EU account said.
