EU diplomatic visits to Tokyo and Beijing prior to the end of obligations with the USA
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, and High Representative Kaja Kallas will travel to Japan on July 23 for the 30th EU-Japan summit. The meeting comes as the EU-Japan partnership continues to grow, particularly in the areas of security and defense, trade, and economic security, and support for a rules-based international order and multilateralism.
During the summit, the EU and Japan will focus on boosting trade cooperation. One topic of discussion will be the CPTPP - a trans-Pacific agreement involving Canada, Japan, and the UK - which could serve as a potential basis for 'WTO 2.0'. The EU will reiterate the need to defend multilateralism and address the issue of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, positioning it as a direct threat to the global order.
The EU-Japan summit will be followed by a visit to Beijing, where EU leaders will travel the day after the EU-Japan summit. The EU's approach to the upcoming EU-China summit aims to balance engagement with China while upholding principles of transparency, reciprocity, and global stability.
Economically, the EU acknowledges the 300-fold increase in trade over the last 50 years but will highlight deep imbalances and resulting concerns. China is perceived to benefit from open European markets but is criticized for buying too little and having limited market access. The EU will remind China that these issues are not just regional or European, but have global implications.
Tokyo is the EU's closest strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region. The EU and Japan will announce the launch of their first EU-Japan defense dialogue scheduled for 2026, alongside an industrial platform aimed at revitalizing defense industries. This partnership is seen as essential for stability in the Indo-Pacific region and for strengthening resilience against geopolitical challenges.
Regarding the EU-China summit on July 24, the agenda includes a meeting with President Xi Jinping in the morning for a discussion on global affairs and bilateral relations, followed by a discussion and dinner with Prime Minister Li Qiang, focused on trade issues. The EU will stress the need for fair market access and multilateralism, adherence to a rules-based international order, and concerns about China’s market access and trade practices.
The EU aims to pursue a constructive, stable, balanced, and mutually beneficial relationship with China. The EU and Japan, as two major global economies, will work together to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure global trade rules reflect current and future challenges. The EU and Japan will also cooperate with CPTPP countries, including Japan, to lead WTO reform and promote a rules-based global economic order.
In conclusion, the EU-Japan summit reinforces a strategic partnership covering trade, security, and innovation with a strong focus on WTO reform and CPTPP cooperation, while the EU-China summit is anticipated to prioritize multilateralism, fair market practices, and security concerns related to Russia and China’s global economic role.
- Recognizing the EU-Japan summit as a significant event, the EU will emphasize the importance of maintaining a rules-based international order and multilateralism, and discuss potential enhancements to this partnership during policy-and-legislation discussions.
- The upcoming EU-China summit is expected to address the need for fair market access, adherence to a rules-based international order, and the reinforcement of multilateralism, with both the EU and Japan working together to lead WTO reform and promote a rules-based global economic order.
