BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Dec 7 warned top European Union officials that China and Europe should not view each other as rivals or engage in confrontation due to their different political systems, in the first in-person China-EU summit in four years.

During the meeting to discuss issues ranging from trade imbalances to Ukraine, Mr Xi also said China is willing to make the EU a key economic and trade partner, and to cooperate on science and technology, including artificial intelligence.

He also urged the EU in the meeting held at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse to “eliminate all kinds of interference” in the bilateral relationship, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Mr Xi said both sides needed to develop “a right perception” of each other, and encourage mutual understanding and trust.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council president Charles Michel and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang on their one-day visit.

Mr Li told the EU leaders that China opposes the “broad politicisation and securitisation” of economic and trade issues in violation of the basic norms of market economies, according to China’s state television.

“We hope that the EU will be prudent when introducing restrictive economic and trade policies, and when using trade remedy measures to keep its trade and investment markets open,” he said.

Thursday’s meetings were the EU officials’ last chance to get face time with top Chinese officials before the European Parliament election kicks off in 2024, which will bring changes to the 27-nation bloc’s leadership.

Dr von der Leyen told Mr Xi “there are clear imbalances and differences that we must address”.

“At times our interests coincide,” she said, pointing to EU-China cooperation on artificial intelligence and climate change.

“And when they do not, we need to address and responsibly manage the concerns that we have.”

Mr Michel said the bloc was seeking a “stable and mutually beneficial” relationship with China.

Both sides had sought to play down expectations ahead of the summit, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warning Beijing-based diplomats from EU member states on Dec 4 that Europe should choose “peace and stability” over a “new Cold War”.

A European official told journalists in Brussels earlier this week that “there’s not a single outstanding deliverable that will be crowning the summit”, adding that there will not be a joint statement.

In another blow to EU-China relations, member state Italy officially informed China “in recent days” that it is leaving the Belt and Road Initiative championed by Mr Xi.

A string of EU commissioners have visited Beijing since China lifted Covid-19 pandemic border restrictions in 2023, including the bloc’s trade and climate chiefs, but little progress has been made on core irritants in the relationship.

Most recently, Mr Borrell’s chief of staff and senior EU diplomat Enrique Mora visited in November.

The EU wants Beijing to use its influence on Russia to stop the war in Ukraine.

A key focus of the trip was urging Mr Xi to stop Chinese private companies from exporting European-made dual-use items to Russia for its war efforts.

Brussels initially left these Chinese firms off its latest Russia sanctions package unveiled in November, European officials said.

The bloc is also concerned about what it considers “imbalanced” economic relations, saying its nearly €400 billion (S$580 billion) trade deficit with China reflects restrictions on EU businesses.

China has previously pushed back against an EU anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles and the EU’s “de-risking” policy to reduce its reliance on Chinese imports, particularly critical raw materials.

In November, Mr Wang told visiting French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna the biggest risk is “the uncertainty brought by broad politicisation”, and that “the dependency most in need of reduction is protectionism”.

During Ms Colonna’s visit, China also offered visa-free entry to citizens of the EU’s five largest economies in a bid to boost post-pandemic tourism and improve China’s image in the West after ties deteriorated during the Covid-19 pandemic.

EU officials say the two sides could cooperate more on action to combat climate change and to promote biodiversity. REUTERS