The EU-China reset that never was: summits begin but divisions remain
After much talk of patching things up, a grand rapprochement has failed to materialise, with Beijing seen to be playing a ‘waiting game’

“I don’t think that the relationship has fundamentally moved. I think the Chinese have a tendency to want to portray this as a very problem-free relationship,” said a senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“That’s because if they don’t change on the economic imbalances, and they don’t change on their embrace of Russia, it might be to their advantage, but it’s not to ours, and our job is to try to get some balance in this relationship.”

For much of the year, July has hung over the EU like Damocles’ sword. Sandwiched between big-ticket engagements with China, Brussels must reach a deal with the United States before July 9 or face a 50 per cent import tariff. Now that it’s here, policymakers and negotiators are girding themselves for some difficult conversations.