The EU and China “have reached an inflection point” in their relations, von der Leyen told Xi in her opening remarks in Beijing. “As our cooperation has deepened, so have the imbalances.” She added that “it is vital for China and Europe to acknowledge our respective concerns and come forward with real solutions.”
In his opening remarks, Council President Costa also noted the imbalance in economic relations, saying “we need concrete progress on issues related to trade and economy. And we both want our relationship to be balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial.”
And he jabbed Beijing over the role it has played in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we call on China to use its influence on Russia to respect the U.N. Charter and to bring an end to its war of aggression against Ukraine,” Costa said.
The EU last week listed two Chinese banks in its latest sanctions against Russia, leading Beijing to issue “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” at the “egregious” move.
President Xi, in his remarks, agreed that EU-China relations are at a “critical juncture.”
