European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee delegation concludes mission to China

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In Beijing and Shanghai, MEPs discussed the geopolitical implications of EU-China ties, while reaffirming the EU’s principled stance and commitment to dialogue.

A delegation of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by its Chair David McAllister, concluded a three-day mission to China on Thursday.

From 21 to 23 July, the delegation held meetings in Beijing and Shanghai – with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, and the leadership of the National People’s Congress including First Vice-Chairperson Li Hongzhong and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Lou Qinjian. The eight-member delegation also exchanged with EU and member state ambassadors in Beijing, the EU Chamber of Commerce, and with the International Department of the Communist Party of China, including Minister Liu Haixing.

Visiting for the first time since the resumption last year of direct contacts between the European Parliament and Chinese authorities, the Foreign Affairs Committee members also held meetings with leading scholars at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing and at Shanghai’s Fudan University. Also in Shanghai, the delegation was received by municipal authorities including Mayor Gong Zheng, and witnessed first-hand the practical applications of AI. The visit came days after the city hosted the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

With the mission taking place against the backdrop of political and geo-economic changes, MEPs stressed China’s crucial role in international affairs and the defence of the multilateral system. The delegation urged the country to use its influence on Russia to press for a ceasefire in Ukraine and for a just peace grounded in the UN Charter and in Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

MEPs reiterated their call on China to cease the transfer of dual-use goods and components to entities supporting Russia’s brutal war of aggression. A country that presents itself as a force for peace cannot at the same time sustain the economy of the aggressor, MEPs stressed.

Emphasising that human rights are universal, the delegation also raised continued concerns over the human rights situation in China.

On trade, the EU’s deficit with China has reached a record €1 billion per day, a situation MEPs described as unsustainable. Members called for reciprocity, a level playing field and trust to ensure that bilateral relations can move forward in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way, including on the trade front.

Agreeing that stable and balanced EU-China relations are in the interest of both, MEPs and Chinese counterparts emphasised the importance of working together in the defence of multilateralism and the UN Charter. They also discussed other avenues of cooperation including climate action and the green transition, and the responsible governance of AI.

Notwithstanding significant differences, the Committee on Foreign Affairs MEPs expressed the hope that the visit marks the beginning of a more regular and results-oriented dialogue between the European Parliament and China.

Members of the delegation

David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Engin Eroglu (Renew Europe, Germany), Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China

Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (EPP, Spain)

Javi López (S&D, Spain)

Lucia Annunziata (S&D, Italy)

Jaroslav Bžoch (PfE, Czechia)

Adam Bielan (ECR, Poland)

Hilde Vautmans (Renew Europe, Belgium), Foreign Affairs Committee Standing Rapporteur on China.

Background

The visit to Beijing and Shanghai on 21-23 July is one of the most significant foreign policy engagements undertaken by the Committee in its current term and follows a visit by Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee in late March 2026. A delegation of MEPs travelled to China in May to participate in the 43rd EU-China Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, and the International Trade Committee is expected to visit the country later in 2026.

The Foreign Affairs Committee is set to adopt its recommendation on EU-China political relations in the autumn.