U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping pose for a photo ahead of their bilateral meeting during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

July 20 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump might visit China before going to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit between October 30 and November 1, or he could meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC event in South Korea, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday citing multiple sources.

The two countries have been trying to negotiate an end to an escalating tit-for-tat tariff war that has upended global trade and supply chains.

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The two sides have discussed a potential meeting between the leaders in the region this year, but they have not confirmed a date or location yet, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Trump has sought to impose tariffs on U.S. importers for virtually all foreign goods, which he says will stimulate domestic manufacturing and which critics say will make many consumer goods more expensive for Americans.

He has called for a universal base tariff rate of 10% on goods imported from all countries, with higher rates for imports from the most “problematic” ones, including China: imports from there now have the highest tariff rate of 55%.

Trump has set a deadline of August 12 for the U.S. and China to reach a durable tariffs agreement.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment about the reported plans for a meeting with Xi in the autumn.

The two countries’ most recent high-level meeting was on July 11, when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had what both described as a productive and positive meeting in Malaysia about how trade negotiations should proceed.

Rubio said then that Trump had been invited to China to meet with Xi, and said that both leaders “want it to happen.”

On Friday, China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China wants to bring its trade ties with the U.S. back to a stable footing and that recent talks in Europe showed there was no need for a tariff war

Reporting by Urvi Dugar; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Nia Williams

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Chinese President Xi Jinping takes past in a welcoming ceremony upon his arrival at an airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Alexander Vilf/Host agency Ria Novosti/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

BEIJING, July 21 (Reuters) – China confirmed on Monday it will hold a top-level summit with the European Union in Beijing this week marking 50 years of diplomatic ties as both sides seek to navigate trade disputes amid broader global trade uncertainties.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will visit China on Thursday and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.

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China’s Premier Li Qiang will be co-chairing the 25th China-EU summit with the EU leaders the same day.

The meeting comes as global trade frictions heat up, with Beijing seeking to secure closer economic and political ties with the bloc to hedge against uncertainties in its relations with the United States

EU-China relations deteriorated sharply in 2021 when Brussels sanctioned Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, a move that saw swift retaliatory sanctions from Beijing, halting much of bilateral exchanges

The summit comes at a key time for these relations, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a regular press briefing.

China looked forward to the bloc working together, Guo said.

“China has always believed that after 50 years of development, China-EU relations…can cope with the changing difficulties and challenges,” he said, characterising ties between the pair as mature and stable but facing issues.

In a recent speech , von der Leyen praised China’s economic progress but said the country had flooded global markets with its overcapacity, limited access to its market, and de-facto enabled Russia’s war economy.

The bloc, which calls China “a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival,” has also said it saw the need to thaw ties amid global trade uncertainties.

After U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs in April, von der Leyen told China’s Premier Li in a phone call that it was EU and China’s responsibility “to support a strong reformed trading system, free, fair and founded on a level playing field.”

Reporting by Liz Lee, Xiuhao Chen and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Raju Gopalakrishnan

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The Chinese government has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Beijing later this week.

The high-level engagement, scheduled for Thursday, coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union.

China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the visit will include both bilateral talks with President Xi and participation in the 25th China-EU summit, which will be co-chaired by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The meetings are expected to address a range of issues, with trade disputes and geopolitical alignments likely to feature prominently.

This year’s summit takes place against a backdrop of heightened global economic uncertainty and intensifying trade friction. Relations between Beijing and Brussels have experienced multiple strains in recent years, particularly following the EU’s 2021 sanctions on Chinese officials in connection with human rights violations in the Xinjiang region. China responded with counter-sanctions targeting EU officials and institutions, resulting in a protracted freeze in bilateral engagement.

While both sides have gradually resumed dialogue, economic disputes have continued to disrupt relations. Ongoing investigations and retaliatory actions have centred on Chinese exports of electric vehicles and medical devices, EU imports of brandy and pork, and access to critical materials such as rare earths. Brussels has expressed concern over what it views as market distortion caused by Chinese industrial overcapacity and limited reciprocal access to the Chinese market.

In a recent speech, President von der Leyen acknowledged China’s economic achievements but criticised what she described as its contribution to global imbalances. She stated that the country’s large-scale production has flooded international markets, exacerbating competitive pressures for European industries. Von der Leyen also pointed to China’s continued economic alignment with Russia as a source of concern for the EU.

The European Union currently defines its relationship with China in three dimensions: as a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor, and a systemic rival. Despite the challenging trade environment, there is growing recognition in Brussels of the need to stabilise relations with Beijing. Officials have highlighted the importance of dialogue and transparency in order to manage differences and avoid further escalation.

Premier Li Qiang is expected to use the summit to press for greater cooperation and to push back against what Beijing sees as increasing protectionism in the West. In a recent telephone conversation with Li, von der Leyen emphasised the shared responsibility of China and the EU to uphold a “strong, reformed trading system” based on fairness, openness, and a level playing field. The call followed the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a new wave of tariffs on a wide range of imports in April, prompting concerns in both Brussels and Beijing about further disruption to the global trading order.

The summit will also offer an opportunity for both sides to explore avenues for collaboration in areas beyond trade. Climate change, digital regulation, and global security challenges are expected to be included in the agenda. However, the atmosphere remains cautious, with mutual distrust persisting over strategic intentions and regulatory practices.

Von der Leyen’s visit to Beijing follows recent outreach by other European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, both of whom have expressed support for a calibrated EU policy that maintains economic engagement while reinforcing core European values and strategic autonomy.

China, for its part, has stepped up diplomatic efforts in Europe, aiming to counterbalance deteriorating relations with Washington. The ongoing U.S.-China tariff war and geopolitical rivalry have led Beijing to seek stronger ties with the EU as a counterweight. This week’s summit may therefore be seen as part of a broader strategy by Xi Jinping to shore up key international partnerships amid shifting global alliances.

While no major breakthroughs are expected, analysts note that the resumption of regular high-level contact may help to contain further deterioration in EU-China relations. The 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties provides a symbolic backdrop for a recalibration of the relationship.

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BEIJING (Reuters) -China confirmed on Monday it will hold a top-level summit with the European Union in Beijing this week marking 50 years of diplomatic ties as both sides seek to navigate trade disputes amid broader global trade uncertainties.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will visit China on Thursday and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.

China’s Premier Li Qiang will be co-chairing the 25th China-EU summit with the EU leaders the same day.

The meeting comes as global trade frictions heat up, with Beijing seeking to secure closer economic and political ties with the bloc to hedge against uncertainties in its relations with the United States.

EU-China relations deteriorated sharply in 2021 when Brussels sanctioned Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, a move that saw swift retaliatory sanctions from Beijing, halting much of bilateral exchanges.

Relations have also been marred by various trade disputes in recent years, including those over Chinese-made electric vehicles, European brandy and pork, government purchases of medical devices, and rare earths.

In a recent speech, von der Leyen praised China’s economic progress but said the country had flooded global markets with its overcapacity, limited access to its market, and de-facto enabled Russia’s war economy.

The bloc, which calls China “a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival,” has also said it saw the need to thaw ties amid global trade uncertainties.

After U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs in April, von der Leyen told China’s Premier Li in a phone call that it was EU and China’s responsibility “to support a strong reformed trading system, free, fair and founded on a level playing field.”

(Reporting by Liz Lee, Xiuhao Chen and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Raju Gopalakrishnan)