European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic headed to China on Wednesday for talks considered critical to the future of the bilateral relationship.
Sefcovic is scheduled to meet with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Beijing to address differences in bilateral trade and investment.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is engaged in a dialogue with China to rebalance the trade.
With the European Union (EU) importing more from China than exporting to the latter, Brussels complains China is undercutting key European industries, for instance, competitively priced Chinese electric vehicles have gained popularity in Europe. China denies these allegations.
The European Union is also pressing China to lift its export limits on minerals and metals critical to make the chips that drive AI technology -- a sector where Brussels is lagging.
"We need to urgently procure and build up reserves. It will help us obtain and stockpile what we need for electric cars, for chips and batteries, for clean tech and defense, and so much more," Von der Leyen said.
Europe's trade commissioner is hoping this week's talks in China will lead to a deal that he can present to the European Council.
EU trade commissioner heads to China for critical talks
China launched the first batch of its 2026 special treasury bonds on Thursday to bolster the core capital and risk resilience of eight key state financial enterprises.
The move is expected to further strengthen the institutions' operational capacity, resilience to risks and ability to serve the real economy, providing stronger support for the country's steady and sound economic growth, according to a circular issued by the ministry.
The eight institutions include the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China, two policy financial institutions, and four state-owned commercial insurers.
The first phase, worth 150 billion yuan (around 22.37 billion U.S. dollars), is a five-year fixed-rate interest-bearing bond. Its coupon rate will be determined through competitive bidding. Interest begins accruing on Friday, with annual payments.
On September 7, the Ministry of Finance announced that it plans to issue 300 billion yuan (around 44.75 billion U.S. dollars) in special treasury bonds this year to support eight central financial enterprises in replenishing their core Tier 1 capital.
The 150 billion yuan tranche is the first installment of the 300 billion yuan plan. A seven-year tranche is scheduled for bidding on November 18, with details to be announced before issuance.
This marks the second round of such capital injections, following a 500 billion yuan (around 74.58 billion U.S. dollars) issuance in 2025 that supported four major state-owned banks
China issues first batch of 2026 special treasury bonds
