Amid souring US ties, China courts Europe with foreign minister's tour

In Rome for a meeting with his counterpart Luigi Di Maio, Wang told reporters that China's relations with the European Union are on a positive trend

China is looking to turn on the charm in Europe to push back against a U.S. campaign for allies to shun cooperation with Beijing.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off a week-long Europe tour Tuesday, with planned stops in Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, France and Germany. The trip comes on the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s two visits to Europe in as many months, in which he warned that China poses a greater threat than Russia.

In Rome for a meeting with his counterpart Luigi Di Maio, Wang told reporters that China’s relations with the European Union are on