FT learned about Xi Jinping's refusal to travel to Brussels for the 50th anniversary of China's relations with the EU

Chinese President Xi Jinping refused to attend the summit in Brussels dedicated to the 50th anniversary of relations between China and the European Union (EU), the Financial Times newspaper reported on March 16, citing sources.

"Xi Jinping declined an initial invitation to visit Brussels on the sidelines of the summit to mark the 50th anniversary of ties [between China and the European Union], while the EU questions the sincerity of China's recent initiatives," the article says.

The media notes that Chinese Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang is likely to attend the meeting in Brussels, the Newspaper adds.Ru». At the same time, Brussels and Beijing usually alternate venues for such a summit. Traditionally, it is Li Qiang who comes to such an event in the EU, while Xi Jinping meets high-ranking guests from Europe in Beijing.

Weapons surcharge: the EU has approved a plan to strengthen the union's defense

This will hit the economy of the association — the amount required for rearmament is four times its annual budget.

In December 2024, a group of members of the European Parliament (EP) from France announced the threat of an EU trade war with China in connection with Beijing's possible retaliatory measures to Brussels' imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles from China. In this regard, the deputies called on the European Commission to take into account the consequences of China's retaliatory measures against cognac and brandy from the EU.