EU-China summit: Beijing puts focus on consensus, while Brussels highlights differences

Investment agreement, human rights and Hong Kong raised in talks between Premier Li Keqiang and European Union leaders, according to bloc

But there was ‘progress’ on treaty, according to Beijing, with Li telling Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel that cooperation outweighed competition

Reading Time:3 minutes

European Council President Charles Michel, in Brussels, takes part in a virtual summit with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Photo: AFP)

Published: 10:35pm, 22 Jun 2020Updated: 3:09am, 23 Jun 2020

China and the European Union gave differing accounts of a bilateral summit on Monday, with Beijing talking of consensus while EU officials highlighted differences over market access and Hong Kong.

During talks with Premier Li Keqiang, EU leaders insisted on their key demands for an investment treaty and raised the issue of Hong Kong, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.

“There are still quite important differences [on the investment agreement],” Borrell told a webinar after the morning meeting with Li. “And we talked about human rights, Hong Kong.”

He added: “We are not naive about China. On that I agree with [US] President [Donald] Trump – he said the same thing.”

Held via video link, it was the first formal summit between China and the new EU leaders – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, who took up the positions in December. Later on that day, they held a one-hour phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

It comes as the rift between China and the United States has deepened, with some saying they are headed towards a new Cold War as they spar on a range of issues – from the coronavirus to regional security, trade and Hong Kong.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x