European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the bloc’s ties with his country “have reached an inflection point,” illustrating what’s at stake in their summit shadowed by tensions spanning trade to the war in Ukraine.

She also warned China's ties with Russia were now the "determining factor" in its relations with the EU. Xi urged EU leaders to "properly manage differences", saying "the current challenges facing Europe do not come from China".