The EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, agreed by negotiators in December after seven years of talks, aimed to put EU companies on an equal footing in China and cement Beijing's status as a trusted trading partner.

But Beijing imposed sanctions in March on 10 EU politicians, as well as think-tanks and diplomatic bodies, in response to Western sanctions against Chinese officials.

EU lawmakers say the Chinese sanctions are not based on international law, while Beijing denies any wrongdoing.