Chancellor Angela Merkel today canceled the November 26 European Union (EU) leaders’ summit in Berlin, citing the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The summit was to have discussed EU-China relations.
We made it clear that we will not hold this informal summit in the context of the epidemic,” Merkel told reporters after a summit in Brussels, Belgium. We have to cancel this summit.
The EU is increasingly concerned about human rights and unfair trade issues in China, but the 27 member states are still unable to unite and take a stronger stance against Beijing. The German presidency of the EU has therefore called for the summit.
Berlin is particularly keen to conclude an EU-China investment agreement by the end of the year. The summit would have helped Europe to reach a united position.
China has said that an agreement could be reached this year, but EU officials insist that they will not accept unfair terms simply to complete the negotiations.
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