China and Europe's top leaders are set to meet on Friday, as their vast and growing trade relationship threatens to be overshadowed by differences over Russia and other geopolitical tensions.
At the virtual EU-China summit, Beijing is expected to face pressure from one of its top trading partners over the war in Ukraine, which will be the main focus of the talks, according to the European Union. Chinese President Xi Jingping and Premier Li Keqiang will also discuss business ties, human rights and climate change with European Council President Charles Michel and Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
Europe trades more goods with China than anyone else. But in recent weeks, concerns in the West have spiked over Beijing's refusal to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"Senior EU officials have unsuccessfully sought to convince Beijing to push Moscow toward deescalation," Eurasia Group experts wrote in a note Tuesday. "[They] will now seek to enlist Xi, but the feeling in Brussels is that China is not interested in pressuring Russia."
The divergence over the Russia-Ukraine crisis stands in contrast to China and Europe's economic ties, which have deepened during the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's a look at where things stand — and what's at stake.
What's on the table
China abstained from voting on a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, troubling many in the West.
"The way in which China handles this conflict will have bearing on the future overall of the EU-China relationship," Reinhard Butikofer, head of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with China, told reporters ahead of the summit.
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