Overview

• The 50th anniversary summit was scaled back to one day in Beijing, highlighting that EU-China relations have reached a strategic inflection point.
• European leaders pressed China to address its roughly €130 billion goods surplus and to leverage its influence over Russia to end the Ukraine war but secured no firm assurances.
• President Xi Jinping called for enhanced communication, mutual trust, and deeper cooperation to provide global stability and urged the EU to keep markets open to Chinese investors.
• Both sides signed a joint climate statement committing to stronger 2035 targets, renewable energy scale-up, and expanded collaboration on methane reduction and adaptation.
• China agreed to launch an upgraded export supply mechanism designed to fast-track critical minerals shipments, easing EU concerns over rare earth access.