Chinese premier urges joint actions with EU to advance bilateral cooperation

China hopes the European Union (EU) will work with the country to take concrete actions to advance the steady deepening of bilateral cooperation, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York on Wednesday.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, said Li, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping met with von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa in Beijing in July, providing strategic guidance for and reaching an important consensus on further developing China-EU relations.

The Chinese premier mentioned the 25th China-EU Summit he co-chaired with Costa and von der Leyen, saying the event yielded positive outcomes.

Li expressed China's willingness to work with the EU to implement the consensus reached by both sides, stay true to the original aspiration when diplomatic relations were established, strengthen solidarity and coordination, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

Over the past 50 years, Li said, China-EU relations have braved the shifting international tides and maintained sound and steady growth in general.

A key reason is that the two sides have always kept sound communication and actively sought ways to resolve differences based on understanding and trust, Li said.

China hopes that the two sides will enhance mutual trust, treat each other with sincerity, honor commitments, and uphold the principle of seeking common ground while shelving differences, he added.

Li also called on China and the EU to identify the broadest possible convergence of interests and steadily deepen bilateral cooperation to better benefit the peoples of both sides.

China, Li said, hopes the EU will honor its commitment to keeping trade and investment markets open, adhere to fair competition and WTO rules, and avoid politicizing economic and trade issues or overstretching the concept of security.

The international situation is undergoing new and complex changes, with instability and uncertainties on the rise, Li said, calling on China and the EU, as two major forces in the world, to demonstrate responsibility, uphold strategic autonomy, fairness and justice, and play a more constructive role in global affairs.

He called on both sides to better safeguard the common interests of China, the EU, and the wider international community, and contribute to the stability and certainty of the world.

For her part, von der Leyen said that, as the world's two major economies, strengthening dialogue, enhancing understanding and deepening mutual trust between the EU and China are of great significance for both sides and global development.

The EU is willing to actively implement the consensus reached during this year's China-EU leaders' meeting, resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and achieve new cooperation outcomes in areas such as trade and investment, environmental protection and development aid, she said.

The EU highly appreciates China's exemplary role in addressing climate change and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in this area, promote respective green transitions, and jointly promote global sustainable development, von der Leyen said.