European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the EU and China must address "imbalances and differences" between them.

"China is the EU's most important trading partner," von der Leyen said at the start of the Beijing summit, "but there are clear imbalances and differences that we need to overcome."

The EU expressed hope that the two-day summit in the Chinese capital between the bloc's leaders and Beijing's top leadership - their first face-to-face meeting in more than four years - would provide an opportunity to discuss areas of common interest such as climate change and health issues.

European Council President Charles Michel, for his part, said the bloc seeks "stable and mutually beneficial" relations with China. In his words, the bloc wants relations based on "principles of transparency, predictability and reciprocity". In his opening remarks, the President

Xi said China and the EU should work together to address global challenges and promote world stability and prosperity.