EU and China set for Beijing talks in October 2026 to avert a trade war

AFP reports in The Economic Times that EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic was due to meet Chinese officials in Beijing for two days starting October 8, 2026. The EU wants to address surges in Chinese exports, increase European exports to China and agree on a system for licensing rare-earth exports. Brussels is also preparing new trade-defense tools, while Beijing has threatened to retaliate against measures targeting China.