President Xi Jinping said here on Tuesday that China will not change its policy of support for European integration and is glad to see a prosperous and stable EU as well as a prosperous and stable Britain.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with visiting European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in central Beijing. China hopes European countries will actively participate in the Belt and Road initiative, Xi said, with better docking of development strategies and mutual learning.
Xi also called on China and the EU to enhance coordination and collaboration under the G20, IMF and other multilateral frameworks. China hopes the EU will carry out its obligations on Article 15 of the protocol on China's accession to the WTO as scheduled, he said. In addition, Xi urged both sides to work for the success of the 2016 G20 summit, scheduled for Sept. 4-5 in China's Hangzhou.
The EU leaders said the EU side will cooperate with China in a wide range of areas to contribute more to world peace, security and prosperity. Britain's exit from the EU will not affect EU-China relations, they said. The EU wants to remain China's largest trading partner, they said, and both sides can do more in innovation, the environment, digital economy, green growth and other fields. The EU will work to fulfill its obligations to the WTO, they said. They stressed the EU is willing to make joint efforts with China to make sure the G20 Hangzhou summit will achieve positive results.
Earlier on Tuesday, Premier Li Keqiang co-chaired the 18th China-EU summit with the two EU leaders. Li said China wants a high-level investment agreement at an early date and a feasibility study on a China-EU FTA. Li called on both sides to enhance cooperation in infrastructure construction, 5G, network security, maritime sectors and people-to-people exchanges. He also mentioned China's ties with the Central and Eastern Europe, the Southern Europe as well as China-EU cooperation in Africa and other third-party markets.
Both sides exchanged views on climate change, global development and other affairs of shared interest. The EU leaders expressed condolences to the two Chinese UN peacekeepers killed in South Sudan.
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