Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell to visit China in October to finalise agenda for summit

Annual strategic dialogue with counterpart Wang Yi will shape Spaniard’s twice-postponed trip, setting terms for Xi Jinping to meet bloc’s leaders

Separately, EU trade chief expected to raise trade grievances with vice-premier for economic affairs amid sluggish export and import figures

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EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell opens a meeting in Luxembourg in June. Photo: EU Council/dpa

Published: 9:36am, 8 Sep 2023Updated: 11:50am, 8 Sep 2023

The European Union’s top diplomat will visit Beijing in mid-October to finalise an agenda for the EU-China summit, likely to take place in November.

Josep Borrell’s planned trip has been postponed twice, first due to a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, then after the disappearance of ex-foreign minister Qin Gang. He is now expected to travel sometime during the week beginning October 9 for a series of meetings in China, according to people familiar with the plan.

The centrepiece of the Spaniard’s trip will be the annual strategic dialogue with his counterpart, Wang Yi, which will set the terms of a summit attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the following month.

Borrell last met Wang on the sidelines of an Asean gathering in Jakarta in July, after the veteran Chinese diplomat stepped in amid confusion over Qin’s whereabouts. Wang subsequently resumed his role as foreign minister, with Beijing releasing no information on Qin’s situation.

The EU leadership plans to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang in New Delhi this weekend, after meetings with Xi were shelved due to his decision to skip the G20 summit.