FM stresses partnership in meeting with EU ambassador

China called on the European Union to adopt a more objective and correct perception towards the country's development, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday as he met with Nicolas Chapuis, outgoing ambassador of the EU to China.

Noting China and the EU have achieved significant results over the recent years, Wang said differences between the two sides have sometimes affected the healthy development of bilateral relations.

Wang stressed China and the EU are partners, not rivals and still less systemic rivals.

He pledged China will continue to stay committed to following the path of peaceful development and establishing a new system for higher-level opening of the economy.

As the world has entered into a period of turbulence and transformation, Wang said China and the EU, being two major forces, should strengthen dialogue and communication.

Efforts should be made to steadfastly uphold the partnership between China and the EU to seek common ground while shelving differences, mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation as well as follow the trend of the times for multilateralism, he added.

By doing so, China and the EU can provide the world with more stability and positive energy, Wang said.

This is not only an international responsibility undertaken by China and the EU, but also in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, he added.

As EU-China relations enjoy huge potential, Chapuis said the two sides could fully seek common interests and deliver win-win results despite differences.

While expressing the bloc's adherence to the one-China principle, the ambassador said the EU will not violate its commitment.

He said the EU, like China, is unwilling to see the world fall into bloc confrontations and stands ready to work with China to address global challenges such as climate change, the pandemic and digital transformation.

He also expounded the EU's position on the Ukraine issue, saying the EU hopes to see a ceasefire at an early date and looks forward to China's positive role to this end.