Daily SumUp

China is willing to work with the European Union to boost cooperation and respond to "global challenges," its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as the bloc faced potential U.S. tariffs on its shipments to the world's largest economy.

"The world is facing the risk of division, fragmentation and disorder," said Lin Jian, spokesperson at the Chinese ministry. "China-EU relations have all the more strategic importance and global influence."

The EU's trade chief said on Tuesday that the bloc wanted to engage swiftly with the United States over President Donald Trump's planned tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that talks with Washington would be tough.

As transatlantic ties come under strain with Trump's tariff threats, China hawks within the EU such as von der Leyen are showing signs of willingness to rethink the relationship between Beijing and Brussels, a bond that had been tested by trade tensions and China's ties with Russia.