Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini (not pictured) in Brussels, Belgium March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman
March 18, 2019
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union will seek Beijing’s agreement for deadlines to open up China’s economy at an April 9 summit in Brussels, according to a draft leaders’ statement, trying to coax it into making good on promises to deepen trade ties.
China and the EU will “agree by summer 2019 on a set of priority market access barriers and requirements facing their operators,” according to a six-page joint communique drafted by the EU, which still requires Chinese approval.
The statement, seen by Reuters, is set to be formally released at the of the summit between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk.
(Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)
