Half a century after the establishment of relations between China and the EU, and against a backdrop of deteriorating transatlantic relations, the European Union and China held their 25th summit in Beijing.

"We have reached an inflection point." China and EU issue joint statement at summit amid strained relations: 'Relations need to be mutually beneficial' first appeared on The Cool Down.

Every Friday, we recap highlights of the news from China. This week, an important summit was held in Beijing, India took another step towards normalising ties with China, and the Medog dam project saw a development.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged the European Union to make “the right strategic choice” and enhance cooperation with China, while EU leaders called for a rebalancing of trade ties, as the two sides tackle deep-seated grievances at a tense summit in Beijing.

Yet analysts say the Chinese leader is likely holding out for concrete deliverables before agreeing to the high-profile meeting. Trump dramatically escalated the trade war with the world's second-largest economy in April, rolling out sweeping new tariffs that prompted China to respond with its own export duties and other measures.