Some speculated that Beijing was launching a charm offensive to win over Brussels and European capitals, unsettled by Donald Trump's return to power and the trade war he declared on Europe. However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's tour of Europe from June 30 to July 5 did little to smooth over differences less than three weeks ahead of the summit China and the European Union are set to hold on July 24 to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Beijing made some gestures. On Friday, July 4, the Chinese authorities announced trade retaliation targeting wine-based spirits, but coupled them with exemptions for producers who agree to minimum prices – effectively protecting a portion of the French cognac industry that was in the crosshairs. In late April, Beijing had already announced the lifting of sanctions imposed in 2021 on five members of the European Parliament and their families for their advocacy on behalf of the Uyghur minority.

Despite these limited overtures, numerous disputes persisted and the European Union has increasingly adopted a tit-for-tat approach. While China enacted a policy of buying only Chinese-made medical devices – a measure that penalized European groups such as Siemens – Europe has, since June 20, barred Chinese companies from bidding on public tenders in this sector.

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