Half a century after the establishment of relations between China and the EU, and against a backdrop of deteriorating transatlantic relations, the European Union and China held their 25th summit in Beijing.

From just $2.4 billion in trade in 1975 to nearly $785 billion in 2024, China-EU economic relations have become one of the most vibrant engines of global growth. However, the ties have been disrupted by trade disputes. The issues of disagreement include tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and China's export control on rare earth elements.

As the two biggest economic targets in Donald Trump’s trade war, some analysts thought the European Union and China could move closer together and stake out common ground.

E.U. leaders are in Beijing to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations with China, but they have major disagreements over trade and Russia’s war against Ukraine.

"China has an influence on Russia, like the European Union has an influence on Ukraine," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.