EU lawmakers arrive in China for high-stakes talks to manage mounting tensions

Wang Yi calls on delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society for ‘a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective’3-MIN READ3-MIN1ListenPublished: 6:48pm, 21 Jul 2026Updated: 7:59pm, 21 Jul 2026A European Parliament delegation has begun a three-day visit to China to meet senior officials in Beijing and Shanghai to manage strained ties amid escalating trade friction, geopolitical uncertainty and expanding EU import curbs.The eight-member delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by committee chairman David McAllister, arrived in China on Tuesday for the committee’s first visit to China.The trip reflects a broader resumption of institutional exchanges, which were frozen in 2021 over Xinjiang-related sanctions until bilateral dialogue was restored last year.02:41EU leaders debate new China trade policy over ‘systemic threat’In a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the delegation to strengthen exchanges across Chinese society to gain “a genuine, multi-dimensional and evolving perspective” on China and foster a rational and objective perception, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.