(MENAFN) The 25th EU-China summit is set to take place next week in Beijing, as announced by the EU Council on Friday. The summit will be held on July 24, with key figures such as EU Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in attendance.

Reports had initially suggested the summit would span two days, but sources indicate that Beijing insisted on reducing it to a single day. Topics likely to dominate discussions include the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the future of rare earths, and concerns over trade protectionism, particularly in the wake of the Trump administration's tariffs.

While the EU Council confirmed the event, Beijing has yet to issue an official statement regarding the summit's details. The previous summit, the 24th China-EU leaders' meeting, took place in Beijing last December and saw the participation of former European Council President Charles Michel, von der Leyen, and China’s President Xi Jinping.

Before heading to Beijing, EU leaders will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations.

In parallel, an EU Parliament delegation will visit Taiwan from Monday to Wednesday, engaging with Taiwanese authorities and civil society representatives. A statement from the parliament highlighted that the special committee focused on the EU’s "European Democracy Shield" would observe Taiwan's efforts to address hybrid threats, foreign interference, and disinformation.

Meanwhile, tensions between the EU and China continue to escalate. Early Friday, the EU imposed sanctions on Chinese banks for their trade dealings with Russia, a move opposed by Beijing. China urged the EU to refrain from undermining "the legitimate interests of Chinese companies without reasonable grounds."

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