EU-China summit live: Tariffs, Ukraine and rare earths dominate talks amid tense relations
Chinese and European Union leaders are holding a summit
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Beijing
She hopes to 'advance and rebalance' the relationship
European Council President Antonio Costa also attending
Both met Chinese President Xi Jinping
Von der Leyen wants to rebalance EU-China relations
00:16 EDT
Von der Leyen has said it is essential to rebalance bilateral relations between the EU and China.
She called relationship "one of the most important and consequential in the world."
Still, she said the relationship has reached an inflection point, according to media footage of the summit.
Xi says EU should make 'correct' choices
26 minutes ago
00:05 EDT
Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the EU should "make correct strategic choices", state media reported.
He also said the EU and China should increase mutual trust and cooperation.
What we know about the summit
42 minutes ago
23:48 EDT
The EU-China summit will likely feature trade talks regarding China's rare earth exports, and its impact.
In an apparent response to the U.S. tariffs placed on Chinese imports, China implemented 'non-discriminatory' export controls that don't necessarily target a specific country.
Yet the controls have had drastic effects on the European Union economy.
Rare earth exports are necessary to make magnets for car engines and transmissions for EV, defence, and clean energy industries.
As the tariffs has slowed exports to the U.S., the excess EV vehicles have been rerouted to the EU, causing a slow in demand for domestic producers. Moreover, because they do not have the materials they need to produce like batteries, they must rely on Chinese imports.
China produces about 90% of the world's rare earth, and its export controls is a retaliatory card it's pulled in the past.
In 2010, they instituted controls on Japan when there was a Pacific region conflict between a Chinese trawler and two Japanese Coast Guard ship.
EU hopes to 'advance and rebalance' China ties at summit
44 minutes ago
23:46 EDT
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are meeting with Chinese leaders in Beijing.
Thursday's EU-China summit is an opportunity to "both advance and rebalance our relationship", von der Leyen said hours before talks began.
Von der Leyen and Costa will raise thorny issues such as the trade imbalance, rare earths and Ukraine during meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
The EU defines China as a "partner, competitor and systemic rival", which frames its strategic approach to China policy.
Other issues, including electric vehicles, market access and Chinese industrial overcapacity, will also be raised by European leaders at the summit marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the EU and China.
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