MEPs to visit China for the 43rd Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (IPM)

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The European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China (D-CN) will take part in the 43rd EU-China Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (IPM) on 28 May.

Parliament’s delegation will visit Beijing and Wuhan from 27 to 29 May. The 43rd EU-China IPM will take place in the Chinese capital Beijing on 28 May. This will mark the first visit of the D-CN to China since 2018. The 42nd EU-China IPM took place in October 2025 in Brussels following the lifting of restrictions by the Chinese authorities imposed in 2021 on MEPs, including members of Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights

The EP Delegation will comprise 12 MEPs, led by the D-CN Chair Engin Eroglu (Renew Europe, Germany). The participating members are: Lukas Mandl (EPP, Austria), Oliver Schenk (EPP, Germany), Susana Solís Pérez (EPP, Spain), René Repasi (S&D, Germany), Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D, Greece), Jonás Fernández (S&D, Spain), András László (PfE, Hungary), Cristian Terheș (ECR, Romania), Jeannette Baljeu (Renew Europe, the Netherlands), Michael Bloss (Greens/EFA, Germany), and Ruth Firmenich (NI, Germany).

Against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, strategic volatility, and growing pressures on global energy security, the D-CN delegation will engage in a frank and open exchange with the Chinese authorities, including with the Vice-President of the National People’s Congress of China (NPC). The discussions will focus on the evolving and multifaceted EU–China relationship and issues of significant importance to the EU, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and concerns regarding the deterioration of the human rights situation in China. Exchanges with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on the 15th Five Year Plan are expected to address key issues shaping bilateral relations, including widening asymmetries in economic and trade relations, as well as broader questions relating to economic security and competitiveness. Wider regional and global political and economic developments will also be discussed with Chinese counterparts, including energy security, trade and investment, as well as the future trajectory of EU–China relations.

The delegation will also meet with representatives of the diplomatic community accredited in Beijing, including the EU delegation. A working lunch will be held with representatives of the foreign media community, while discussions with the EU Chamber of Commerce in China will focus on market access and the treatment of European businesses operating in the Chinese market.

The final part of the programme, on 29 May, will be dedicated to engagements with the provincial authorities of Hubei Province in Wuhan, with a particular focus on grassroots governance, civil protection preparedness, and the strategic importance of Hubei’s transport infrastructure. The programme will also include visits to industrial, technological, and manufacturing facilities in Wuhan, offering insights into the region’s economic and innovation ecosystem.