China, EU: Both Sides Issue Joint Summit Statement

2019-04-09T04:00:00Z

What Happened: The European Union and China have issued a joint statement for their summit after Beijing reportedly agreed to revise some wording on industrial subsidies, Bloomberg reported April 9.

Why It Matters: A joint communique may be a preliminary indicator of how willing both sides are to address their disagreements, as both Beijing and Brussels face the threat of looming U.S. tariffs.

Background: China and the European Union held a summit in Brussels on April 9, during which Brussels attempted to extract clear commitments from Beijing to sign an investment agreement, permit reciprocal trade access and improve religious freedom.