Brussels has reacted with astonishment to a decision by China to postpone next week's EU-China summit in retaliation for visits by EU leaders with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Officials yesterday (17 November) agreed to enhance cooperation on consumer product and food safety issues at a tripartite summit in Brussels. The meeting came after a series of public scares involving Chinese toys and tainted milk marked trade relations between the three blocs. 

China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao talks up the euro ahead of a three-day business summit in Britain.

China's economic reform, trade policy, diplomacy and overall relations with the EU were at the centre of attention in Brussels last week, as academics and officials gathered for a conference just days after Beijing had cancelled a planned summit with the EU.

Leaders from China and Europe will sign a new Science and Technology Agreement at next week's summit in Nanjing, where progress is also likely on a major near-zero emissions coal project.

China has postponed an annual summit meeting with the EU, the Europeans said in a statement. The Chinese were evidently angered by a new visit to several European countries by the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

EU officials admitted their embarrassment after Brussels journalists vigorously protested over a cancelled press conference during last week's EU-China summit. The event was reportedly scrapped at the last minute because independent Chinese journalists risked upsetting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

'Hard security' will be the main topic at the EU-Russia summit in the far-eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk near the border with China on 21-22 May, the country's ambassador to the EU told journalists in Brussels yesterday (13 May).

France says China is postponing a summit with the EU planned for next week because several European countries are hosting the Dalai Lama.

A couple of days ago I participated in the first ever Citizens’ Summit in Europe. 150 people from all walks of life across the EU got together in Brussels to hand over to top policy-makers in Brussels their recommendations on how to tackle the economic and social challenges facing Europe. This was the culmination of