Upcoming talks on investment agreement will promote bilateral trade relations

Although strategic partnerships will be the main focus of the China-EU summit that begins on Nov 21 in Beijing, expectations are rife that the two sides will eventually sign an investment agreement that aims among other things to reduce simmering trade tensions.

According to experts, this China-EU summit is of "special importance" because it will set the tone for future bilateral engagements. Free trade negotiations between China and the EU had not made much progress in the past, because Brussels has yet to grant market economy status to Beijing.