Relations between China and the European Union have been changing dramatically. As China’s presence in Europe increased, Brussels took a more assertive stance against bilateral agreements between Beijing and EU member states, advocating in favor of a multilateral approach and EU standards. The 21st EU-China summit to be held in Brussels on 9 April will be the first direct confrontation between the two powers since the EU’s definition of China as a “competitor” and a “rival” and since the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between one of the EU founding members, Italy, and Beijing was signed. What is the current state of EU-China relations? In which direction are the main actors at the EU level heading? What perspectives for the EU, China and the United Kingdom after Brexit?
