China and the European Union (EU) should conduct more institutional dialogues to bring strong new impetus to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday in Beijing.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a telephone conversation with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel.
Mr. Borrell expressed his sincere condolences over the recent torrential rains and floods in China, stressing that the EU was determined to develop good relations with China.
The EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and China’s Belt and Road Initiative are not rivals but complementary to each other, as both seek to promote global development, he added.
Borrell said he looks forward to visiting China as soon as possible and launching a strategic dialogue with the Chinese side, with the objectives of jointly preparing for this year’s EU-China leaders’ meeting and encouraging the development of EU-China relations.
Wang said that at present, China-EU high-level exchanges are maintaining good momentum, and both sides believe that partnership is the major feature of China-EU relations.
China has always taken a positive attitude in promoting China-Europe relations, he noted. Xi said his country attaches great importance to the China-EU leaders’ meeting scheduled for this year and believes it will play a crucial strategic role in China-EU relations and bilateral cooperation.
China, EU should hold more institutional dialogues to make up for exchanges that haven’t taken place between them during the three-year COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said, and thus bring new impetus strong to the comprehensive China-EU strategic partnership.
He said China is ready to welcome Mr. Borrell as head of a delegation to the country this fall, and to hold a strategic dialogue for political preparations for the China-EU leaders’ meeting through in-depth discussions.
This article is originally published on french.xinhuanet.com
