China calls for stronger EU ties ahead of leaders' summit

As the China-EU Summit is set to take place this week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun highlighted the importance of the relationship between Beijing and Brussels, stressing its global significance and future potential.

Speaking at a press briefing on July 22, Guo said the summit coincides with two major milestones — the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Caliber.Az reports per Global Times. 

“Over the past half-century, China-EU relations have become one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world,” Guo stated.

The spokesperson emphasised that cooperation between China and the EU has produced substantial outcomes over the years, benefiting both economies and nearly 2 billion citizens across the two regions.

“China-EU cooperation has yielded fruitful results, strongly supporting each other's development and progress, bringing tangible benefits to nearly 2 billion Chinese and European people, making significant contributions to promoting world peace and development, and setting a model for mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization,” Guo said.

Guo described the current stage of China-EU ties as a "critical juncture," marked by both opportunities and challenges. He pointed to the global backdrop of increasing instability and the rise of unilateralism and protectionism as factors that make dialogue more essential than ever.

“China-EU relations are currently at a critical juncture, building on past achievements while forging new paths, presenting both new opportunities and challenges,” he noted. “Against the backdrop of increasing global turbulence, rising unilateralism, and protectionism, the China-EU leaders' meeting to enhance strategic communication and deepen dialogue and cooperation is not only beneficial to both sides but also to the world.”

Guo concluded by expressing China’s hope that the upcoming summit will result in a renewed commitment to global cooperation and multilateralism.

“China is willing to work together with the EU, through a successful meeting, to send a positive signal to the world that China and the EU are committed to strengthening their partnership, jointly upholding multilateralism, and promoting open cooperation,” he said.

By Sabina Mammadli