Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged China and the European Union (EU) to respect each other’s core interests, manage differences, deepen practical cooperation, and work together to address global challenges during a trilateral meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot yesterday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, described the first-ever trilateral meeting as an innovative step in response to evolving global circumstances and an important opportunity for strategic communication.
Highlighting that the world is undergoing the most profound and complex changes since World War II, with unilateralism, protectionism, and power politics on the rise, Wang called for upholding mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, promoting openness and cooperation, and pursuing mutually beneficial initiatives to guide China-Europe relations and provide stability amid global turbulence.
He noted that five decades of exchanges have shown China and Europe are partners rather than rivals, interdependence is not a risk, convergence of interests is not a threat, and openness will not undermine security. Wang emphasized that China’s development presents opportunities for Europe, and Europe’s challenges do not stem from China. He encouraged Germany and France to help the EU pursue a rational and pragmatic China policy and treat China-Europe relations as a partnership.
Wadephul said that in today’s turbulent world, Germany and France need dialogue with China to build trust, dispel misunderstandings, and coordinate their roles as major powers.
He reaffirmed Germany and France’s commitment to the one-China policy, support for free trade, opposition to decoupling, and willingness to resolve trade frictions through consultation to promote balanced EU-China economic and trade relations.
Barrot highlighted rising global instability, threats to multilateralism, and ongoing regional conflicts, urging China, Germany, and France to cooperate to promote world peace and improve global governance. He welcomed the Global Governance Initiative proposed by Xi Jinping and expressed France’s commitment to strengthening EU-China relations and multilateral coordination.
The three ministers also exchanged views on key issues in China-Europe relations, including the Ukraine crisis, and agreed to maintain ongoing strategic communication.
