Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Beijing. Xi said that the leaders of China and the European Union need to show foresight and responsibility, as well as “make the right strategic decisions” in the context of global change, Chinese media reported on Thursday.
The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People (the Chinese parliament) in Beijing. Xi Jinping said that relations between China and the EU are at an important historical crossroads. In his opinion, bilateral co-operation between the countries should be based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, and they should seek common ground “where there are differences” in their positions.
The Chinese leader believes that stable Sino-European relations will bring certainty to the entire international community.
“The more complex and serious the international situation, the more China and Europe should strengthen contacts and deepen mutual trust,” Xi Jinping said.
Xi Jinping also recalled that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe, as well as the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. According to him, “China-EU relations are once again at an important historical crossroads. The PRC and the EU have achieved fruitful results in exchanges and co-operation, which have benefited both sides and the whole world.”
The 25th EU-China summit is taking place in Beijing on Thursday. It will be attended by Premier Li Qiang of the State Council of the PRC. In addition to bilateral relations, EU leaders planned to discuss the military conflict in Ukraine. The summit was originally scheduled to last two days, but its duration was shortened after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Europe.
