EU-China Summit Underway

A virtual summit between leaders from China and the EU is underway. According to a Chinese state media readout, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said 'China has been promoting peace talks in its own way, and is willing to continue to play a constructive role with international community.'

• Earlier today Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Beijing would not 'choose a side or adopt a simplistic friend-or-foe approach. We should, in particular, resist the Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation.'
• From China/EU correspondent Finbarr Bermingham: 'In uncommonly open language, EU officials close to the summit preparations said any help given to Russia would damage China's international reputation and jeopardize relations with its biggest trade partners, Europe and the United States.'
• China has denied accusations that it is providing support to Russia, and EU and US official have said that they have not seen any indication of military aid, but a meeting on Wednesday between the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers Wang Yi and Sergei Lavrov suggested that the two countries are still cooperating closely.