(March 31): China welcomed the first visit by European lawmakers in eight years, as Beijing seeks to stabilise relations following the lifting of retaliatory sanctions last year. A European parliamentary delegation began their trip on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing. China previously blacklisted several European politicians in 2021 in a retaliatory move over EU sanctions concerning alleged human rights abuses on the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. While China emphasises cooperation, the visiting lawmakers are targeting “systemic breaches” of EU consumer laws, according to the European Parliament statement. An estimated 5.9 billion low-value items entered the EU last year in parcels directly shipped to consumers, with over 90% originating from China.

Source: The Edge Markets March 31, 2026 09:38 UTC