The use would have wanted Europeans to receive Chinese leaders at home to mark half a century of diplomatic relations, since the last summit between the European Union (EU) and China had been held in Beijing in 2023. But Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, her counterpart to the European Council, agreed to make the trip again. This was the condition to meet, Thursday, July 24, President Xi Jinping, who did not intend to go to Europe.
This was not enough to coax Beijing, with whom the friction subjects have multiplied. Not only was the summit, which was initially to last forty-eight hours, was limited to a single day in the capital, but, moreover, it should not end on the adoption of common conclusions, except perhaps on climate change. Before the global climate conference, COP30, which must be held in Belem (Brazil), from November 10 to 21, the two parties are indeed an interest in displaying its determination, in a world where the United States will leave the Paris Agreement a second time.
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