EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit to rebalance EU-China trade relations, which have grown increasingly lopsided over the past decade. The trip comes days before the October EU summit, as ties with China, the US and the UK face pressure at the same time.
The Euronews programme covering the visit also reported on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks in Athens, student protests in France, possible changes to the UK’s relationship with the EU and a proposal to cut MEPs’ net salaries. Its summary contained no reporting on migration, border enforcement or asylum policy, so it offered no facts about how those issues relate to the events discussed.
Trade and the China visit
Šefčovič has a stated purpose for his visit: to seek a rebalancing of EU-China trade relations. According to the programme summary, the relationship has become increasingly lopsided over the past decade. The two-day trip began in Beijing just days before the October EU summit.
Jorge Liboreiro explained the visit’s high stakes for Euronews. The summary didn’t specify which sectors or trade measures are at issue, nor did it detail proposals Šefčovič planned to raise in Beijing. It described the visit as part of a period when European ties with China, the United States and the United Kingdom are all under pressure.
Rubio’s remarks and French protests
Rubio travelled to Athens for the sixth round of the US–Greece Strategic Dialogue. Officials discussed security, defence and energy. Speaking the previous night, Rubio said Europe needed to awaken from its “long slumber”. Fay Doulgkeri reported from Athens.
In France, students prepared for another major day of protests after trade unions joined demonstrations on Tuesday. More than 250,000 people took part across the country, according to the programme. Estelle Nilsson-Julien reported from Paris. The summary didn’t identify the students’ demands or say what prompted the demonstrations, and it offered no further details about the next planned day on the streets.
UK relationship and MEP salaries
UK Minister for European Relations Hamish Falconer spoke with Mared Gwyn after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would weigh a “range of options” for the future relationship with the EU. Rejoining the bloc is one possibility. The programme summary gave no further account of Falconer’s interview or the options under consideration.
The programme also interviewed Belgian MEP Marc Botenga of The Left about a proposal to halve MEPs’ net salaries, from €8,800 to €4,400. Critics called it a populist move to grab the public’s attention. The summary didn’t name those critics or provide Botenga’s response.
Euronews described the EU’s ties with China, the US and the UK as facing tests at once. Its weekday programme, Europe Today, airs live with anchors Méabh Mc Mahon and Stefan Grobe at 8 am Brussels time, on television, the Euronews website and digital platforms including YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram. The 20-minute programme covers the day’s key events and analysis; viewers can also get it as a newsletter and podcast.