Beijing, December 30th
President Xi Jinping held a video meeting with German Chancellor Merkel, French President Macron, European Council President Michelle and European Commission President von der Leyen in Beijing on the evening of the 30th. China-EU leaders jointly announced the completion of the China-EU investment agreement negotiations on schedule.
Xi Jinping pointed out that 2020 is a very special year for the world and China and the EU. The global pandemic of the COVID-19 epidemic and the unprecedented changes in the world in a hundred years are deeply intertwined, and there are more and more unstable and uncertainties.
Against this background, China and the EU are facing the difficulties and working together to promote China-EU relations to achieve fruitful results.
The two sides achieved the expected goal of completing the China-EU investment agreement negotiations within the year on schedule, and reached a balanced, high-level, mutually beneficial and win-win investment agreement, demonstrating China’s determination and confidence to promote a high level of opening up to the outside world, and will provide greater market access, a higher level of business environment and stronger control for China-EU mutual investment.
Guarantee and brighter prospects for cooperation will also strongly promote the recovery of the world economy in the post-epidemic period, enhance the confidence of the international community in economic globalization and free trade, and make important contributions to the construction of an open world economy in China and Europe.
Xi Jinping stressed that China is committed to building a new development pattern, which will provide more market opportunities and create more space for cooperation for Europe and the world.
It is hoped that the European side will adhere to free trade and multilateralism to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese investors.
Xi Jinping pointed out that 2021 is coming. China and the EU, as the two major forces, two major markets and two civilizations, should show responsibility, actively act, and be the cooperative builder of world peace and progress.
The two sides should strengthen dialogue, enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, properly deal with differences, and work together to cultivate new opportunities and open up new opportunities.
First, coordinate the anti-epidemic action. Ensure that vaccines are distributed equitably as a global public good, especially for the benefit of developing countries.
Second, promote economic recovery together. Strengthen policy communication and coordination, adhere to the construction of an open world economy, and drive the global industrial chain and supply chain back on track as soon as possible.
Third, dock development strategy. We will strengthen policy coordination, strengthen the strategic docking of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Eurasian interconnection, and explore cooperation in the digital field.
Fourth, accelerate green development. Make good use of the mechanism of China-EU high-level dialogue on environment and climate, and support each other to hold international conferences on biodiversity, climate change and nature conservation.
Fifth, promote multilateral cooperation. Strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, the Group of 20, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization and other frameworks, promote political solutions to international and regional hot issues, actively implement the G20 debt relief initiative, support Africa’s fight against the epidemic and development, and jointly promote world development and prosperity.
European leaders said that despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, Europe and China have maintained close high-level communication this year and made important progress on a series of issues such as the geographical indication agreement.
Today we meet to jointly announce the conclusion of the negotiations on the Euro-China investment agreement, which is an important milestone for the development of EU-China relations and will also be conducive to promoting the recovery and growth of the world economy.
This once again shows the world that although Europe and China have differences on some issues, both sides have the political will to strengthen dialogue, deepen cooperation and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results on the basis of mutual respect.
The EU-China Investment Agreement is a high level. The EU appreciates China’s further expansion of opening up and its active promotion of trade liberalization and investment facilitation. Europe and China both support multilateralism, and a strong EU-China relationship is conducive to solving the global challenges facing the world today.
The European side appreciates China’s major measures to address climate change and help Africa fight the epidemic, and hopes to continue to coordinate and cooperate closely with China on global anti-epidemic, climate change, biodiversity protection, sustainable development, WTO reform and other issues.
China-EU leaders exchanged New Year’s greetings and jointly said that they would maintain close communication in the new year, jointly promote the major exchange agenda between the two sides, and promote the continuous development of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
