Europe Today: Rubio urges Europe to wake up as EU trade chief begins key China trip

By Adnan Leal Published on 08/10/2026 - 8:02 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copied Europe's ties with China, the US and the UK are all being tested at once. EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is in Beijing with a deadline to rebalance trade relations, Marco Rubio tells Europe to wake up, and London weighs rejoining the EU. In France, students are back on the streets today. On today's show: EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has arrived in Beijing for a crucial two-day visit seeking to rebalance EU-China trade relations, which have become increasingly lopsided in the past decade. Jorge Liboreiro explains the high stakes of this trip, which comes just days before the October EU summit. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Estelle Nilsson-Julien reports from Paris on the student protests in France, as they brace for another major day on the streets after trade unions joined demonstrations that drew more than 250,000 people across the country on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in Athens for the sixth round of the US–Greece Strategic Dialogue, to discuss security, defence and energy. Speaking last night, he said Europe needs to awaken from its “long slumber”. Fay Doulgkeri breaks it all down from Athens. Mared Gwyn interviews the UK Minister for European Relations, Hamish Falconer, after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would weigh a “range of options” for the future relationship with the EU, including the possibility of rejoining the bloc. We also speak to Belgian MEP Marc Botenga (The Left) about a new proposal to halve MEPs’ net salaries, from €8,800 to €4,400. Critics call it a populist move to grab the public’s attention. When and where to watch Europe Today? You can join Euronews’ anchors Méabh Mc Mahon and Stefan Grobe live on TV and Euronews' website, as well as digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram), every weekday at 8 am Brussels time. In just 20 minutes, we bring you the day's key events plus crucial analysis of all the stories shaping the EU and beyond. Also available as a newsletter and podcast. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Removing Russian oligarchs from sanctions list sets 'a very bad precedent', Browder says Israel's ambassador Zarka: France has a serious antisemitism problem Siberia plague outbreak is an 'isolated incident', virologist says France International trade EU-China Comments