I’m pleased that we could speak by video conference with President Xi, together with Ursula (von der Leyen) and Angela (Merkel). Unfortunately, our physical meeting in Leipzig wasn’t possible.
Europe needs to be a player, not a playing field. Today’s meeting represents another step forward in forging a more balanced relationship with China.
We strive for a relationship that delivers on our mutual commitments. That generates concrete results for both sides. Results that are also good for the world. In some areas, we are on the right track. In others, more work needs to be done. […]
We have a robust trading relationship with China. The EU is China’s first trading partner. On average we trade over 1 billion euros a day.
Trade can energise our economic recovery. But we want more fairness. We want a more balanced relationship. That also means reciprocity and a level playing field. That’s why we welcome today’s signature of the Agreement on Geographical Indications. It’s a big step in the right direction. We are working on a comprehensive investment agreement and concrete results in other important areas….
We called on China to refrain from unilateral actions in the South China Sea, to respect international law, and avoid escalations…
In conclusion, our discussions today were of great importance. We are well aware that talks and dialogue are important, but they are not enough. We must turn our messages into actions. We are determined to continue to engage with China to promote our values and defend our interests. We want a balanced relationship, based on respect for mutual interests.
We believe that reciprocity and transparency must be at the heart of the commitment made by the European Union. Läs uttalandet