China's Xi calls for 'proper handling of frictions' at tense summit with E.U. officials

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged top European Union officials on Thursday to “properly handle differences and frictions” as he criticized Brussels’s recent trade actions against Beijing.

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping urged top European Union officials on Thursday to “properly handle differences and frictions” as he criticized Brussels’s recent trade actions against Beijing at a tense summit dominated by concerns on trade and the Ukraine war.

Expectations were low for the summit in the Chinese capital marking 50 years of diplomatic ties after weeks of escalating tension and wrangling over its format, with the duration abruptly halved to a single day at Beijing’s request.

“The current challenges facing Europe do not come from China,” Xi told visiting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, state news agency Xinhua said.

He urged the E.U. to “adhere to open cooperation and properly handle differences and frictions,” after von der Leyen earlier called for a rebalancing of trade ties with the world’s second-largest economy, saying relations were at an “inflection point.”

“Improving competitiveness cannot rely on ‘building walls and fortresses,’” Xi added, according to Xinhua. “‘Decoupling and breaking chains’ will only result in isolation.”