Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China and the EU are partners, not rivals, let alone institutional rivals.
According to China News Agency, Wang Yi met on Tuesday (June 28) with Yu Bai, the outgoing head of the EU delegation to China.
Wang Yi said that in recent years, China and the EU have reached an agreement on geographical indications, established a high-level dialogue mechanism on digital and green, and completed negotiations on a China-EU investment agreement, achieving important cooperation outcomes. At the same time, some differences between China and the EU also affect the healthy development of China-EU relations from time to time. The key is for the EU to form a more objective and correct understanding of China’s development direction. China will continue to adhere to the path of peaceful development and build a new system of higher-level open economy. China and the EU are partners, not rivals, let alone institutional rivals.
Wang Yi said that the current world has entered a period of turbulence and change, with increasing risks and challenges. As two important forces in the world, China and the EU should strengthen dialogue and communication, unswervingly maintain the basic positioning of partnership, maintain the way of getting along by seeking common ground while reserving differences, maintain a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation mode, maintain the trend of multilateralism, and serve the world. Provides more stability and positive energy. This is not only an international responsibility undertaken by China and the EU, but also fully in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides.
Yu Bai said that the potential for the development of EU-China relations is huge. Although the two sides have differences, they can fully seek common interests and achieve win-win results. The European side, like the Chinese side, does not want to see the world fall into bloc confrontation. We are willing to work with China to jointly address global challenges such as climate change, the epidemic of the century, and digital transformation. The EU adheres to the one-China policy and will not violate its one-China commitment.
Yu Bai also expounded the EU’s position on the Ukraine issue and hoped that China would play an active role in this regard.