China is ready to welcome European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Layen ahead of the July summit in July.

“European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Laieni are welcome in China for a new series of Sino -European meetings,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

China and the European Union will conduct High -level dialogue in strategic, economic, ecological and digital sectorsadded the spokesman, who did not clarify the time of the visit of the Union leaders to China.

In April, a European Council spokesman had announced that the next summit between Brussels and Beijing would take place in July in China.

The July meeting takes place at a time when Beijing seeks to reinforce its relations with the European bloc as it is facing the devastating trade conflict with Washington.

Last week, China described relations with the European Union a “valuable stable point” for the global economy.

Despite significant differences with Beijing on commercial issues and human rights, the European block seeks to expand its trade partners to the US ally that has become unstable and unpredictable.

In a sign of its good intentions, Beijing was the sanctions of five members of the European Parliament that criticized China’s repressive policy against the Muslim minority of the Uigurians in Sinjiang last week.

The leadership of China and the heads of the European Union’s bodies have systematic contacts at the top level, with the exception of last year, so no meeting was held.