As the European Union struggles to curb China's unfair trade practices, are tougher tactics needed to cut the €400 billion trade deficit? The odds of a breakthrough to resolve trade frictions at this week's EU-China summit in Beijing appear slim after China cut the planned two-day talks to a single day.

Chinese and European Union leaders will meet in Beijing on Thursday for a summit marking 50 years of diplomatic ties. Here is a timeline of EU-China trade tensions in recent years.

The two sides reiterated their opposition to “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion” in the East and South China seas.