EU negotiators head to China hoping to curb cheap imports of hybrid electric cars

Mood in trade talks said to have changed as EU member states harden demands for protection against Chinese imports

EU trade negotiators are heading to China for two days of crunch talks aimed at sealing a breakthrough deal tackling Beijing's record 1bn-a-day trade surplus by curbing its exports of cheap hybrid electric cars into Europe.

Trade commissioner Maro efovi and his team fly out on Wednesday and will be negotiating up to the wire in talks scheduled to start the following day and continue late into Friday.