Merkel on EU's virtual meeting with China's Xi

German chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to the media in Berlin on Monday about the EU's virtual meeting with China's leader.

Merkel, top European Union officials and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks Monday focused on trade, trying to reinvigorate slow-moving discussions on an investment agreement and building trust to tackle the thorny political issues harming their ties.

Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, was backed by Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, at the video conference.

The talks between two of the world's three largest economies and traders was an opportunity for Brussels and Beijing to take stock of their ties, with the Europeans wanting to focus on economic issues, reform of the World Trade