China’s Xi says EU must deepen trust

CHINESE President Xi Jinping said China and the EU must deepen trust in a turbulent world but the bloc’s chiefs called for “real solutions” to move past an inflection point as they met in Beijing yesterday.

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China's leadership has sought to draw the EU closer as it positions itself as a more reliable partner than the US and a bedrock of stability in a troubled world.

But the EU has made clear there are deep divisions over trade, fears that cheap, subsidised Chinese goods could overwhelm European markets and Beijing's tacit support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

Though nominally intended to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties, the long list of grievances set the stage for a contentious summit.

Welcoming EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Antonio Costa at Beijing’s ornate Great Hall of the People, Xi 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”.