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Can China keep relations with EU on course?
- The European Parliament’s decision to suspend ratification of an investment deal was a serious blow, but avenues for cooperation remain
- The country’s foreign minister told a conference last week that the two sides could work together on a range of topics, not just climate change
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China is looking at ways to improve relations with the European Union after a series of setbacks in recent weeks, according to diplomatic observers.
In an effort to reach out to Europe, Beijing invited the foreign ministers of Poland, Ireland and Hungary to visit China over the weekend, along with their counterpart from Serbia, a non-EU state.
The foreign ministry said China looked forward to deepening cooperation with the four and putting China-Europe ties on a “positive, comprehensive and balanced” path.
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China’s hopes for better relations with the EU suffered a hit after the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted to freeze the ratification of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment last Thursday until Beijing removes sanctions on EU officials, academics and institutions.
Beijing imposed the penalties in retaliation for similar measures imposed on officials accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
At a virtual meeting of the Munich Security Conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed the suggestion that Beijing and Brussels could only work together on climate change, and listed seven other areas for potential cooperation: the fight against Covid-19, economic recovery, counterterrorism, global governance, helping the least developed countries, solving issues such as the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians and strengthening the role of the United Nations.
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