EU vows to work ‘constructively’ with China, calls on Beijing to ‘de-escalate’ Hong Kong situation
- EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell says the two sides agreed to ‘show flexibility’ on pending issues of strategic cooperation deal
- He raised Beijing’s lack of progress on economic liberalisation in video meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
The European Union on Tuesday vowed to work “constructively” with China towards achieving their strategic cooperation agenda this month, despite what the EU has described as a “systemic rivalry” between them.
The 27-nation bloc also called on China to de-escalate the situation in Hong Kong, but there was no sign it would follow Britain to offer Hongkongers EU citizenship, according to EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
“I think that both parties agree on working constructively and to show flexibility in order to reach agreement on the pending issues of the Agenda 2025,” Borrell said at a press briefing after a three-hour meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi via video link.
The cooperation agenda is expected to be finalised when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a video summit this month.
Borrell said his meeting with Wang was “open and frank”, and he had raised Beijing’s lack of progress on economic liberalisation amid negotiations for an EU-China investment deal that is slated to be completed this year.