Wang Yi talked about China-EU relations: it is partners, not rivals, opportunities, not threats

On February 22 local time, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Working Committee, said in an interview with the central media after concluding his visit to Prancis, Italia, Hungary dan Rusia and attending the 59th Munich Security Conference that China and Europe are partners rather than rivals, opportunities rather than threats.

China News Agency reported that Wang Yi pointed out that friendship is the main tone of China's policy towards Europe and cooperation is the overall goal of China's policy towards Europe. We have always positioned China and Europe as two major forces to maintain world peace, two major markets to promote common development, and two major civilizations to promote human progress. The two sides are partners rather than rivals, opportunities rather than threats. China-EU relations have always been global and strategic, and the choices made by both sides affect the direction of the world. If China and the EU choose dialogue and cooperation, the camp opposition will not form; If China and Europe choose peace and stability, a new cold war will not start; If China and Europe choose to open and win, there is hope for global development and prosperity. This is the responsibility of China and the EU under the new historical conditions.

Wang Yi said that the current international community is facing unprecedented challenges, and the Ukrainian crisis has spilled over to the world. The elimination of external interference, the proper control of differences and the strengthening of exchanges and cooperation between China and the EU will provide valuable stability for the volatile international situation and are also of great significance in promoting the political settlement of the Ukrainian issue. China-EU relations have made steady progress since last year.

Wang Yi said: "I feel in the contacts and exchanges that European countries are full of expectations for China's development and China's role in the world. They are all willing to promote the warming up of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation. They are all looking forward to comprehensively restarting face-to-face exchanges at all levels and fully activating dialogue and cooperation in all fields. I think China-EU relations will present a positive development trend this year."

Wang Yi said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU. China and the EU agreed to prepare for this year's China-EU leaders' meeting, play the pillar role of the China-EU strategic, economic and trade, green, digital and people-to-people high-level dialogue, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, jointly safeguard the stability of the global industrial chain supply chain, and jointly safeguard the rule of law and standardized international economic and trade environment.