ASEM Summit: Asia-Europe Meeting kicks off in Brussels
Updated 16:22, 22-Oct-2018
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Fifty-one world leaders are attending the ASEM meeting in Brussels. They were expected to discuss global challenges and trade ties during the two-day gathering. Jack Parrock reports from Brussels.
East meets West - but without the US. Asian leaders are in Brussels including the Chinese premier and the Japanese prime minister and South Korean president.
FEDERICA MOGHERINI EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF "The very high level of the delegations, both on the European and on the Asian side, demonstrates how strategically important it is this relationship. We are focusing very much on increasing our partnership with Asia, being it on connectivity, being it on security."
US tariffs on Chinese goods have shifted global trading patterns. And leaders at this Brussels summit is a chance for Europe and Asia to recommit to sticking to the current order.
An EU-China trade deal would be a lengthy process hammering out differences in regulation - but summits like this are intended to put on an outward display of friendship between Europe and Asia. JBA, BRUSSELS.