German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang react as they hold a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, July 9, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that she hoped a summit later this month between the European Union and China would take further steps toward protecting investments and help prevent further global trade conflicts.

“I hope that the upcoming EU-China in China brings more progress such as in investment protection agreements,” Merkel said at an economic event in Berlin attended by China’s Premier Li Keqiang.

“And I also hope that Germany and China can make a contribution toward ensuring that the world does not end up blundering into a spiral of trade conflicts,” she added.

The Sino-European summit is due to take place in Beijing on July 16-17. European officials have said China is putting pressure on the EU to issue a strong joint statement against President Donald Trump’s trade policies at that meeting.