China envoy renews call to revive stalled CAI trade pact with EU
- Fu Cong says ‘no fundamental conflict of interest’ between Beijing and Brussels and says China would be open to proposals
- Despite tit-for-tat sanctions and the Russian war in Ukraine, Beijing has maintained a conciliatory tone with Europe
In an interview published by Diplomatic World magazine on Tuesday, Fu Cong said the deal offers “the most comprehensive market access to date”.
“For the first time, China has made market access commitments on all industries [with the EU],” Fu said, giving examples that ranged from traditional manufacturing to new energy.
Fu has repeatedly raised the revival of the CAI since taking office in December. The agreement was first discussed 10 years ago but was halted in 2021 over tit-for-tat sanctions sparked by human rights concerns.
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Soon after taking up his post, Fu proposed a simultaneous mutual end to the sanctions, a solution he has offered in numerous interviews since then. He also rejected claims about human rights violations in Xinjiang.