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Exclusive | China-EU annual summit ‘pushed back until next year’ as trade and human rights disputes fester
- Sources say tit-for-tat sanctions over Xinjiang and the ‘death’ of an investment deal mean there is little room for the two sides to make progress in key areas
- The European side is also concerned that President Xi Jinping will not take part and Premier Li Keqiang will host the event instead
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The annual EU-China summit has been postponed amid concerns that there is little chance of making progress in key areas, sources said.
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One person who has been briefed on the matter said the summit – initially planned to be held by the end of the year – was likely to be put back until January.
Sources identified disagreements over human rights, economics and trade as the biggest sticking points.
The bloc’s relationship with China has been worsening since China responded to EU sanctions on officials accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang with tit-for-tat measures.
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Beijing hits back at Western sanctions against China’s alleged treatment of Uygur Muslims
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This in turn resulted in efforts to ratify the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) – agreed last December – being stalled.
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