Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi affirmed on Sunday that Europe can strengthen its competitiveness in the 'gym' that, in his view, represents the Chinese market, and urged European countries to abandon protectionism and take advantage of economic cooperation opportunities with China. 'We have witnessed an improvement in relations between China and European countries since last year, with bilateral trade exceeding one trillion dollars and more than two million European tourists visiting China without a visa,' Wang stated, adding that 'the facts demonstrate that the stability of China-EU relations is based on shared interests' in response to a question from EFE. The statements were made during the foreign minister's annual press conference held within the framework of the session of the National People's Congress (NPC, the Legislature), the country's main political event each year. The foreign minister defended that 'China's position on the development of China-EU relations is clear: we have always believed that Europe is an inherent pole in a multipolar world and an important force for maintaining international order and stability.' Wang assured that Chinese authorities 'have observed that more and more insightful people in Europe recognize that China is not a competitor, but a global partner' and added that 'Europe is a key partner for achieving China's modernization.' The Chinese diplomat also highlighted that 'European leaders have also visited China and Europe in rapid succession, and exchanges are becoming increasingly closer,' referring to recent trips to the Asian giant by leaders of countries such as Germany, Finland, or France. Wang's press conference comes at a time of friction between Beijing and the Twenty-Seven, over issues such as Chinese electric vehicles, telecommunications, or Chinese restrictions on strategic materials such as rare earths.
