China reaffirmed on Wednesday that it is normalising ties with the European Parliament, as Beijing seeks to forge closer economic and political ties with Brussels amid flaring global trade frictions.

Xi Jinping skips BRICS Summit for the first time amid speculation of political turbulence in China and divisions between member nations over trade and strategic interests

While India's S. Jaishankar and China's Wang Yi "said the right things," analysts say nothing has changed for the regional rivalry.

The Chinese government intends to cancel part of a two-day summit with European Union leaders planned for later this month in the latest signs of the tensions between Brussels and Beijing.

The European Parliament condemned China on Thursday over its export restrictions on rare earths and insisted the European Union must reject any attempts by Beijing to use the restrictions to force concessions from the bloc.

China has expressed willingness to make joint efforts with Pakistan to ensure the success of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Tianjin on Wednesday.

The figures suggested a short-term recovery in trade activity following a slower performance in May, when export growth dipped to 4.8 per cent after strong results in March and April.

Iran's foreign minister visits China after Israel conflict, highlighting efforts to deepen ties amid regional and U.S. tensions.