The European Parliament on Thursday passed a motion pushing to formally freeze the EU's investment agreement with China, according to media reports, a day after China reiterated its stance on the investment deal as well as China-EU ties.

In response to a query on the European Parliament's possible passage of the motion, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment is a "balanced, mutually beneficial and win-win deal," and China and the EU should make concerted efforts to ratify it as soon as possible.

Zhao also reiterated China's sincerity in developing China-EU ties while steadfastly safeguarding China's sovereignty and security as well as development interests, urging the EU side to stop interfering in China's internal affairs and promote mutual understanding through dialogue.