EU and Japan to forge united front against China and Russia at summit
- Trade and tech on agenda at gathering now framed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Meeting will also look for ways to cooperate on infrastructure projects in Asia, source says
At a summit in Tokyo on Thursday, leaders will establish a blueprint for wide-ranging cooperation, from trade, to technology and supply chains.
The blueprint is expected to bolster supply chains and set joint standards for vital technology such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G and 6G – many of the areas to be covered when the EU-US Trade and Technology Council convenes in Paris a few days later.
The preparation for the digital partnership predates Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but geopolitical and security concerns now frame the commercial objections.
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60 feared dead in Ukraine’s east Luhansk region after Russian air strike levels village school
In discussions with EU officials, traditional references to open markets have been replaced with allusions to the war and of the deepening divide with Beijing.