Wang Yi Holds Virtual Meeting with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles

On March 29, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a virtual meeting with High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Wang Yi said, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. As two major forces in the process toward multi-polarity in the world, China and the EU should maintain regular strategic communication, continuously enhance mutual understanding, constantly expand cooperation consensus and jointly address various global challenges. The two sides should make good preparations for high-level exchanges in the next stage to provide strategic guidance for bilateral cooperation and send a positive signal to the world.

Borrell said, the EU and China are important strategic forces in the world and pillars of global economic recovery and growth. Currently, EU-China relations are facing some specific problems, but the EU remains committed to improving bilateral relations. I would like to reiterate that the EU adheres to the one-China principle, and the EU as a whole and all member states will not and should not deviate from this position. The EU and China should enhance mutual understanding and show spirits of friendship and cooperation, so as to push for positive outcomes of high-level exchanges in the next stage.

Borrell said, the ongoing fighting in Ukraine has severe implications for the EU and the world. The EU calls for reaching a ceasefire and stopping the war as soon as possible, opening humanitarian corridors, not using weapons of mass destruction, and preventing attempts to circumvent sanctions. The EU hopes that China will play an important role in realizing peace.

Wang Yi said, China is deeply grieved over the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. We have always assessed the situation and adopted policies based on the merits of the issue itself and worked in our own way to cool down the situation and realize peace at an early date. China is ready to work with the international community to continue to call for a ceasefire and peace talks, and for preventing large-scale humanitarian crisis and opening the door to peace.

Wang Yi stressed, China's position is clear: between war and peace, we stand on the side of peace; between unilateral sanctions and dialogue and negotiation, we stand on the side of dialogue and negotiation; between fanning the flames and putting out the fire, we stand on the side of putting out the fire. Time will prove that China's position is responsible and can withstand the test of history.

Wang Yi stressed, complex security issues should not be dealt with in a simplistic approach of "friend or foe" or "black or white". Every country has the right to independently decide its own foreign policies. Facts have proved that the outdated Cold War mentality and camp confrontation leads nowhere in Europe, let alone the acts of taking sides and dividing the world. Maximized sanctions will only hurt each other, complicate the situation, and intensify the tensions. To make countries and people who are not a party to the conflict pay for it is unfair and unlawful. China is ready to work with all parties to accommodate their legitimate and reasonable concerns and strive to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and restore peace in Europe at an early date.

Borrell further introduced the EU's position and said that the EU does not seek to change Russia's political system, does not want to see an escalation of the situation, and opposes a "new Cold War" and camp confrontation in whatever forms.