China and the European Union have agreed to boost their relations on a host of key issues, during their 10th round of top-level strategic meeting on Tuesday.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, co-chaired the dialogue, which took place via video link.
While the European Union is moving towards greater self-reliance and sustainability in key areas like the manufacture of automotive batteries and medical equipment and biotech, China is ramping up its industrial cooperation as a way to avoid being left out of the hugely important European market.
With collaboration and agreement always more important than competition and dispute, China and the EU are long-term, comprehensive, strategic partners, Wang disclosed, noting that both countries would take as a new starting point the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic pact.
The dialogue has been described by Borrell as intense and substantial. The EU official stated from the three-hour long video conference that the most crucial deliverable was that the two sides remain focused to the China-EU 2025 Vision.
The ongoing dialogue is intended to set the stage for a new strategy that would establish deeper connections on everything from trade and investment to climate change and innovation between the two parties.
At the conference, Wang pointed out that China and the EU should be on the progressive side of history, and stand with the majority of the international community to uphold multilateralism, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.
Borrell echoed Wang's views, that China and EU both uphold multilateralism and seek communication and cooperation rather than disagreement, and that the EU respects the Chinese people's chosen path of development, and welcomes China's active participation in international cooperation to address global challenges.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce Gao Feng said that China and EU hope an understanding will benefit both side's businesses and investors, particularly in the context of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the world economy. Official Chinese media currently carry lots of positive news about cooperation between China and EU.
Official media reported that in a phone call between German Chancellor Angela Markel and Chinese president Xi Jinping, the latter told Merkel that China will remain committed to further opening up and expanding cooperation with the rest of the world, and will continue to create a favorable environment for German companies to increase investment in the mainland.
