could indicate where things are headed beijing is one of the european union's most important trading poppa's comus between the two has almost tripled since the turn of the century that's mainly due to china's share of global trade it went from five and a half percent in two thousand to over fifteen percent last year the value of a huge china trade volumes came in at a combined six hundred five billion euros brussels will be maintaining pressure on beijing today to open its markets further it also wants more action against product piracy and intellectual property theft let's go over to brussels to get the latest from visa lao correspondent there bob spring is here are you expecting any new beginnings as far as friendships between brussels and beijing. we might at least then talk about some little flowers blooming on branches because this was not the expected disaster that some had foreseen there is a communique that both sides are signing up to because at the very last minute the chinese brought some concessions to brussels it had looked bad but then in the end the european council president