The key issue, economists say, is boosting productivity, something that requires a change in government incentives.

China has accused the US of "stirring up trouble" in the South China Sea in a fresh bid to stake claim to miles of international waters. Fu Cong, China's ambassador to the UN, this week launched into a series of attacks on America at the UN Security Council.

Russia has deployed its first weapon made entirely of Chinese parts into the Ukrainian airspace in a bid to spook Kiev's air defences.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing on Thursday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

As such, Brussels and Beijing need to take constructive measures before trade becomes hostage to spiraling tariffs. Talent exchanges could help resolve some of these issues, by diversifying supply chains, mitigating innovation risks, and fostering knowledge and goodwill among trade partners.

The upcoming EU-China summit in Beijing is set to be dominated by growing tensions over China’s support for Russia, a ballooning trade deficit, and the looming threat of a transatlantic trade war.

The head of a German think tank sanctioned by Beijing four years ago has returned from a trip to China, suggesting that travel restrictions on the organisation may be easing. Mikko Huotari, the executive director of the Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics) was in Beijing from July 14 to 17,

Beijing blocked a U.S. federal employee from leaving China after they traveled to the country in a personal capacity, the State Department confirmed Tuesday. The employee, who works for the U.S.

The Trump administration has dialed back aggressive measures against China and reversed its position on technology controls as the president angles for a Chinese trip later this year.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Monday that it did not rule out the possibility of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump if the Russian and U.S. presidents were both in Beijing at the same time in September.