On Monday, China and the EU will engage in crucial talks to discuss their future trading relationship in a bid to minimize the economic damage caused by COVID-19.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang will hold a summit with EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, president of the European Council, via video conference.

The two sides are likely to discuss a range of topics, including efforts to fight COVID-19, economic recovery, economic and trade investment, as well as climate change and scientific and technological innovation.

But which topics will be most important to individual European countries? CGTN Europe's correspondents have the answers.

Stefan de Vries in France

French President Emmanuel Macron wants to bring the production of medication and medical goods back to France, while establishing the country's future dealings with China.

China is currently the seventh biggest customer of French exports and second largest source of imports but the aerospace industry – which has been devastated by the pandemic – accounts for 40 percent of French exports to China and will likely plummet for the foreseeable future.

However, both parties are keen to continue their collaboration on climate change and energy regeneration.

Ira Spitzer in Berlin

In July, Germany will take over the EU's six-month rotating presidency and Chancellor Angela Merkel says Chinese relations will be a major focus. 

China is now Germany's biggest trading partner, with the two countries having worked closely together for years to develop a strong economic relationship, and Merkel is keen for an "open dialogue" with Beijing over their future strategy. 

Isobel Ewing in Budapest

Hungary was the first European country to sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative but it's taken six years to get Europe's first major BRI infrastructure project off the ground. 

China and Hungary have finally signed a 20-year, 1.85 billion dollar-U.S. dollar loan deal to build a railway link connecting Budapest with Belgrade. It's hoped it'll be finished by 2025, making Hungary Eurasia's logistics hub, with Chinese goods traveling from Greece to western Europe.

But the deal has been fraught with controversy. The Hungarian government has come under fire for classifying the terms of the contract for 10 years and observers have raised concerns about the country taking on an immense debt from China. 

Read more: Xi and Merkel pledge to take China-EU relationship to the next level

Rahul Pathak in Madrid

China and Spain's economic relations go back to the 16th century but in 2018, President Xi Jinping made the first visit to the country by a Chinese head of state in 13 years.

Both countries have vowed to fight protectionism and increase trade, and Xi Jinping says China will look to import more than 50 billion U.S. dollars' worth of goods over the next five years.

He has also encouraged Spain to forge even closer relations through his country's Belt and Road Initiative, the world's largest construction project.

Remember to sign up to Global Business Daily here to get our top headlines direct to your inbox every weekday