On Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel canceled the European Union (EU) summit scheduled for November 26 in Berlin to discuss relations with China due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have made it clear that, given the context of the pandemic, the informal summit will not be possible. We will have to do without it,” Merkel told reporters after the summit in Brussels.
The German presidency of the EU had planned a summit as the 27 EU countries struggled to reach a common position against Beijing, raising concerns about China’s human rights abuses and unfair trade.
In particular, Berlin wants to reach an EU-China investment agreement by the end of the year, and the summit could help shape a common EU position.
China has indicated that an agreement can be reached this year, but EU officials insist they will not accept unfavorable terms just to conclude the talks.
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