Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Union (EU) leaders on the 24th and said, "The bilateral relationship has reached a historic turning point," emphasizing the need to make the right choices in the face of a global upheaval that occurs once every 100 years.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China announced that this morning, President Xi, António Costa, the rotating president of the EU summit, and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
President Xi mentioned that this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, as well as the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, stating, "Over the past 50 years, China and the EU have achieved rich results in exchanges and cooperation, benefiting both sides' development as well as the world," and added, "In particular, the attitude of mutual respect and recognition of differences while seeking common ground, as well as pursuing openness, cooperation, and win-win results, are important lessons for the development of the bilateral relationship and principles that must be upheld in the future."
President Xi also noted, "In the context of global upheaval and increasing uncertainty every 100 years, both sides must once again demonstrate strategic vision and leadership to meet the expectations of the people and make the right choices that can withstand historical verification."
He continued, "Through this, we must provide stability and predictability to the world based on a stable and healthy relationship," and said, "China and the EU, which play important roles in the international community, should develop their bilateral relationship in the right direction and work together for an even brighter future over the next 50 years."
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency and Reuters, President Xi addressed the trade issues with the EU, saying, "Europe should maintain an open trade and investment market and refrain from using economic and trade tools that are regulatory in nature," hoping that this would create a good business environment for corporations to invest and operate in Europe.
President von der Leyen responded that China must propose solutions, expressing dissent. He said, "As our cooperation deepens, imbalances have also worsened," and emphasized, "We have reached a turning point. It is essential to recalibrate the balance of the bilateral relationship. We must acknowledge the concerns of each country and propose real solutions."
Regarding the war in Ukraine, he requested China to exert influence over Russia. President Costa said, "As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China should exert influence over Russia to ensure that it respects the UN Charter and brings an end to the war in Ukraine."