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EU foreign policy boss reminds China of the bloc’s ‘strong bond’ with US

  • European Union statement says relations with the US were raised by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in call with Josep Borrell
  • The EU diplomat also said Brussels, Beijing and Washington could work together on key global issues including climate and Covid-19

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The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stressed the bloc’s strong ties with the US in his first conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi since US President Joe Biden’s election. Photo: Handout
Laura Zhouin Beijing
The European Union’s leading diplomat underscored the bloc’s “strong bond” with the US in his first virtual meeting with China’s foreign minister since President Joe Biden took office.
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Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is also vice-president of the European Commission, made the remarks after his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi raised relations with the US in their latest call on Monday, according to an EU statement.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the video conference with his EU counterpart Josep Borrell on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the video conference with his EU counterpart Josep Borrell on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

“High Representative Borrell underlined the EU’s strong bonds with the US,” it said. “He welcomed the new US administration’s commitment to working cooperatively with international partners and multilateral institutions.”

While Biden has yet to release his China policy, he has made clear that stronger ties with allies and partners – including the EU – will be central to his approach.

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In his first foreign policy address last week, Biden described China as the “most serious competitor” to the US and vowed to “confront China’s economic abuses, counter its aggressive, coercive actions, and push back on China’s attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance”.

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