Chinese president Xi Jinping has congratulated former Portuguese prime minister António Costa on his election as the next President of the European Council, underlining willingness to “expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields”.
According to China’s Xinhua news agency, “Xi pointed out that China has always regarded Europe as an important pole in the multi-polar structure, attached great importance to the vital role of the European Union (EU) in global affairs, and been committed to developing the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
“Xi said he highly values the development of China-EU relations, and stands ready to work with Costa to ensure that China and the EU remain firm as partners, deepen strategic communication, enhance mutual understanding and political trust, build broad consensus, expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, so as to achieve sound and steady development of China-EU relations and make new contributions to world peace and development”.
Portugal underlines need to “find a greater balance in trade” with China
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang also congratulated Costa, concludes Xinhua’s text.
On a European level, China is currently locked in a trade ‘spat’ with Europe – one of its most important trading partners – over its electric vehicles, and there is increasing frustration over China’s role in enabling the war in Ukraine. Indeed, recent reports have suggested that Russia has become so economically isolated that China “could order the end of the war”.
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