Chinese Premier Li Qian and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of cooperation during their meeting in New York, Reuters reports, News.bg reports.
The two major economies, the world's second and third largest, are seeking to ease trade tensions while at the same time under pressure from tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Von der Leyen wrote on the social network X that she discussed trade issues with the Chinese premier on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and appreciated "China's willingness to engage in a spirit of mutual understanding". She stressed that European concerns about export controls, market access and overcapacity are well-known.
For the past two years, relations between China and the EU have been on the brink of a trade war. The reason for this was the European Commission's decision in 2023 to launch an investigation into subsidized Chinese electric cars, which led to retaliatory inspections on European products - including alcohol, dairy products and pork.
However, US trade policies, which hinder exports from both Europe and China, create incentives for closer cooperation between Brussels and Beijing.
Li Qiang expressed hope that the two countries would maintain the original spirit of their diplomatic relations and that the EU would continue to maintain open markets for trade and investment. The Chinese Foreign Ministry added that “as two important poles in the world, China and the EU must demonstrate responsibility and maintain strategic independence“.
At the same time, both countries are facing domestic difficulties: Chinese negotiators are busy with talks with Washington and Brussels in parallel, while the EU lacks unanimity - ten countries supported tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in October 2024, 12 abstained, and five, including Germany, opposed.
China also plays an increasingly important role in European calculations regarding the war in Ukraine. Xi Jinping's influence over Vladimir Putin and economic support for Russia are seen by many as a more realistic path to peace than Trump's unpredictable foreign policy.
Von der Leyen said she had called on China "to use its influence to stop the killing and to encourage Russia to come to the negotiating table."
"It's time for diplomacy. That would send a strong signal to the world," she concluded.