European Council President to Visit China to Foster China-Europe Cooperative Partnership

• #EU and Chinese leaders will discuss global challenges as well as subjects of common interest.

Being: European Council President Charles Michel will visit #China on December 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced Monday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited Charles Michel, against the backdrop of a tense geopolitical and economic environment in #Eurasia.

Officials say the EU and Chinese leaders will discuss global challenges as well as subjects of common interest.

This is the first formal meeting between the Chinese leader and leaders of European Union institutions after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a press briefing on Monday.

Michel, who represents the leaders of the EU’s 27 member states, will visit #Beijing on December 1 to meet Xi and other senior Chinese officials, the first time an EU president has met Xi in China since 2018.

“We will discuss global challenges as well as subjects of common interest,” Michel tweeted on Thursday (24 November), announcing the trip, first reported by the Financial Times.

“Against the backdrop of a tense geopolitical and economic environment, the visit is a timely opportunity for both EU and China to engage,” his spokesperson Barend Leyts added.

Attaching great significance to developing China-Europe relations, China looks forward to working with the European side to enhance strategic communication and build consensus, so as to jointly promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-Europe relations, and inject more stability into the complex and unsettled international situation, Zhao said.

During the visit, #Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks with Michel. The two leaders will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, Zhao said.

Michel will also meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhanshu respectively, Zhao said.

Also, #German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited #China earlier this month, meant to push for greater economic cooperation and more equal trade ties had raised eyebrows.

By: M.arif