No escort, no dignitaries: EU leaders made to travel by bus in Beijing for meeting with Xi Jinping
A video of the July 24 visit shows EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her delegation disembarking at the summit venue without any high-ranking Chinese officials present to greet them. There was no red carpet, no limousine, and no formal reception — a break from standard diplomatic protocol, especially at this level of engagement.
I completely agree with China govt's decision to arrange a bus to welcome the delegation led by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as it's an environmentally friendly move.
You know, Europeans like to be environmentally friendly. pic.twitter.com/jagSBjF6Wc
— ShanghaiPanda (@thinking_panda) July 26, 2025
The meeting, held in Beijing, made little progress on major geopolitical tensions. European leaders raised alarm over China's growing trade surplus, which they say is distorting global markets with underpriced goods, and over Beijing's alleged support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
'As our cooperation has deepened, so have imbalances,' von der Leyen told Xi during their meeting. She said EU-China trade relations had reached 'an inflection point' and called on Beijing to 'come forward with real solutions.'
Xi, in remarks published by China's Foreign Ministry, pushed back: 'It is hoped that the European side will keep the trade and investment market open and refrain from using restrictive economic and trade tools.'
Despite their differences, both sides did manage to agree on limited cooperation in two areas: climate change and critical raw materials. A joint statement reaffirmed mutual support for the green transition. They also agreed to set up what von der Leyen described as an 'upgraded export supply mechanism' to fast-track licenses for rare earth minerals — an area where China controls the global supply and has recently increased export restrictions.
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