Premier Li Keqiang Co-chairs the 23rd China-EU Summit with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen

Li stresses the need for China and the EU to
enhance dialogue and coordination, deepen practical cooperation,
maintain peace and tranquility, and stabilize the world economy

On the afternoon of April 1, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council co-chaired with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen the 23rd China-EU Summit via video link at the Great Hall of the People.

Premier Li noted that China and the EU are respectively the largest developing country and biggest union of developed countries. A stable China-EU relationship is crucial for world peace, stability and development. China has always viewed its relations with the EU from a strategic and long-term perspective, and attaches importance to this Summit. President Xi Jinping will have a video meeting with the two Presidents. China firmly follows the path of peaceful development. China hopes that the two sides will enhance understanding and mutual trust, step up dialogue and communication, deepen practical cooperation, properly address differences and disagreements, and make joint efforts and contributions for world peace and development. Li also expressed the hope for the Summit to send a signal of steady development of China-EU relations and active pursuit of the bilateral cooperation.

Premier Li stressed that China and the EU are each other's biggest trading partners and important forces for building an open world economy. Under current circumstances, dialogue and cooperation remain the mainstream of China-EU relations, and mutual benefit the keynote of China-EU cooperation. China suggests that the two sides build on the existing mechanisms to enhance policy coordination on COVID response, climate change and the digital economy, and foster new cooperation highlights. China suggests that the two sides work together to safeguard energy and food security, preserve the stability of industrial and supply chains, meet risks and challenges, and promote a sustainable recovery of the world economy.

Premier Li pointed out that reform and opening-up is China's fundamental national policy and China's door will open still wider. It will continue to foster a market-oriented and law-based business environment up to international standards, and treat enterprises of all types of ownership as equals. Li expressed the hope that China and the EU remain open to each other, steadily expand market access, protect fair competition and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. China hopes that the EU will also provide a sound business environment to Chinese businesses investing and developing in Europe.

President Michel and President von der Leyen noted that both the EU and China are important members of the multilateral system and China is an important stakeholder. The two sides need to enhance dialogue, deepen cooperation, uphold multilateralism, ensure world peace and stability, and work together to tackle global challenges. The EU is ready to engage in close cooperation with China in such areas as COVID response, economy and trade, investment, and protection of geographical indications, and expand cooperation on the digital economy, energy transition, cyber security, humanitarian efforts and climate actions. The EU looks forward to a successful second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

The EU side laid out its views and position on the current situation in Ukraine.

Premier Li stated China's principled position. He stressed that China follows an independent foreign policy of peace, and stands for observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, upholding international law and widely-recognized, basic norms governing international relations, including those on sovereignty, territorial integrity and equality between countries different in size, and settling disagreements and conflicts through dialogue and negotiation. China has been promoting talks for peace in its own way, and will continue to work with the EU and the international community to play a constructive role for early easing of the situation, cessation of hostilities, prevention of a larger-scale humanitarian crisis, and the return of peace at an early date.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on other international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Xiao Jie and He Lifeng were present at the Summit.