Chinese FM: China to strengthen cooperation with Eurasian countries
CGTN
A China-Europe freight train prepares to depart for Barcelona in Spain from Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on April 8, 2020. /Xinhua

A China-Europe freight train prepares to depart for Barcelona in Spain from Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on April 8, 2020. /Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China will be strengthening comprehensive cooperation with Eurasian countries, especially in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a phone conversation with Josep Borrell, the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, Wang said that China and the European Union (EU) need to enhance strategic cooperation and play a constructive role in coping with global challenges.

Noting that the pandemic is still festering all over the world and the evolution of the international situation is accelerating, Wang said China and the EU, two stabilizing forces in the process of multi-polarization, need to strengthen communication and dialogue, continuously enhance mutual trust and eliminate all kinds of distraction.

He said the two sides should, first of all, handle their respective domestic affairs well.

Wang said that the Chinese side has maintained highly stable and continuous policies towards the EU, always treats Europe in an optimistic and positive light, and views the bloc as an important partner as well as a diplomatic priority.

Wang said China believes that the EU's strategic autonomy should embody upholding multilateralism and opposing unilateral dominance, pursuing openness and cooperation and opposing man-made "decoupling," making independent foreign policies according to the norms governing international relations and opposing confrontation among different blocs and a new "cold war."

For his part, Borrell said the EU side values China's tremendous development achievements and its significant contribution to world peace and prosperity, adding that the EU will take an objective and rational view of China's development and adopt an independent policy towards China based on the EU's own interests.

A medical worker takes a blood sample from a woman for COVID-19 test in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 15, 2020. /Xinhua

A medical worker takes a blood sample from a woman for COVID-19 test in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 15, 2020. /Xinhua

Cooperation in COVID-19 containment 

In a separate phone call with Simon Coveney, Ireland's minister of foreign affairs as well as defense, Wang expressed the hope that the Irish side can continue to play a positive and constructive role in promoting the in-depth development of China-EU relations.

China-Ireland relations have maintained continuity and stability, showing good momentum for development and bringing key benefits to the two peoples, he said.

Wang highlighted the active anti-epidemic cooperation between China and Ireland, which he said has illustrated the two countries' traditional friendship and their effective and practical bilateral cooperation.

Coveney said his country and China have carried out good cooperation in the face of the epidemic, and Ireland appreciated China's valuable support and assistance in the fight against the virus.

Speaking with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi over the phone on the same day, Wang also said that China is ready to continue sharing its experience in epidemic prevention and control with Indonesia.

For her part, Retno said the fact that Indonesia and China have taken the lead in carrying out vaccine research and development cooperation reflects the high level of bilateral relations and China's strong trust in Indonesia.

(With input from Xinhua)