European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the bloc’s ties with his country “have reached an inflection point,” illustrating what’s at stake in their summit shadowed by tensions spanning trade to the war in Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the EU's goal to negotiate a trade and tariff solution with the US. She noted ongoing discussions with Washington while maintaining EU's independent relationship with China.