President Xi Jinping is seeking to repair ties with the European Union, painting China as the more reliable partner as Donald Trump alienates the bloc over issues from tariffs to defense.
Faced with an effective trade embargo from the US, Chinese policymakers and business leaders are searching for new markets in Europe and beyond. To help smooth those ties, Xi is preparing to lift sanctions on several EU lawmakers, according to one European official—a largely symbolic gesture of good will as the measures had little impact

“As the world’s major economies, China and Europe will jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday, adding that it would welcome more European members of parliament to visit China, without addressing reports on sanctions being lifted.
While leaders in Europe remain fiercely opposed to Beijing’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, they’ve indicated a willingness to move forward on some iss