Beijing and Brussels are marking 50 years of diplomatic relations but one third party is putting a damper on the festivities.

Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, the heads of the European Commission and the European Council respectively, will be in Beijing for a summit to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union.

Expectations are rock-bottom for an EU-China summit on Thursday that will test European resolve and unity as the bloc faces intense trade pressure from both Beijing and the United States, analysts say.

EU leaders are set for tough talks with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, as the two sides clash over trade and China’s alleged long-running support for Russia in the Ukraine war at a time of heightened geopolitical turmoil.

In May EU leaders said they were ready to “work hand in hand” with China to deal with “common challenges”. But the Europeans’ short-lived friendliness was as much an attempt to manipulate the Americans as it was a bid to woo the Chinese,

By Liz Lee and Xiuhao Chen 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.

With their affordable battery-run cars equipped with advanced software, BYD and other Chinese brands have been expanding their market share to about 5 per cent in the UK and European EV markets, according to Schmidt Automotive Research.

When Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison set plans to sell more than 40 ports in multiple nations to an American-led investment group, two facilities in Panama got most of the attention. But the real action is in Europe,

Chinese companies ‘hold high expectations’ that leaders can reach a deal to reduce trade barriers, business group says.