Opportunity knocks for EU and China over next five years

This month, President Xi Jinping has two priorities on his schedule, one at home and one overseas.

First at home, he will join China's other top decision-makers in a plenary session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which is expected to roll out a draft of the development program for 2016 to 2020. This, it is believed, will mainly aim to give a final push so China's per capita income doubles from its 2010 level by 2020.

And abroad, after his September state visit to the United States, Xi is to pay a state visit to the United Kingdom, during which he is likely to further explain to the world how China intends to play its due role as a responsible global stakeholder.