New opportunities abound for China-EU economic, trade relations: official

Economic and trade relations between China and the European Union are poised for new growth, especially as this year marks the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, an official with China's Ministry of Commerce said in a recent interview with China Media Group.

A delegation from China's Ministry of Commerce visited Sweden, Norway, and Hungary in late March and early April, holding economic and trade commission meetings and exchanges with local government departments.

Wang Yupeng, deputy director of the Ministry's Department of European Affairs, highlighted the positive outcomes of the delegation visit and the importance of continuing to maintain the multilateral trading system centered on the WTO to build an open world economy.

"There are no winners in a trade war, and protectionism has no way out. All parties will uphold free trade and economic globalization, jointly uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, unequivocally oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and promote the building of an open world economy," he said.

China and the EU, as major economies and advocates of multilateralism, should deepen cooperation to add stability to the global economy, said the official.

"In the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will implement the important economic and trade consensus reached by the leaders of China and Europe, make full preparations for the China-EU leaders' meeting, China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue and other mechanisms, and continue to use platforms such as the Joint Economic and Trade Commission to enhance economic and trade policy communication with European countries, address key economic and trade concerns, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-EU economic and trade relations," he said.

During the ministry delegation's visits to Sweden and Norway, China also held trade and investment matchmaking meetings with over 200 representatives from local companies, reaching cooperation agreements across multiple industries.

"At the two matchmaking meetings, enterprises from both sides connected across many industries such as intelligent manufacturing, green economy, medical and health care, trade services, mineral energy, agricultural and food products, and reached a series of cooperation agreements," said Wang.

New opportunities abound for China-EU economic, trade relations: official

Representatives from China and France expressed a strong commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors during an economic and trade forum in Lyon, France, on Thursday.

The event took place at the Chinese Consulate General in Lyon, bringing together scholars and representatives from business, finance, tourism, and other key sectors of both countries.

Lyon, a major industrial and economic hub in central France, has long served as a key player in China-France cooperation. Many attendees highlighted the city's historical and contemporary role in strengthening bilateral ties.

"The cooperation between Lyon and China has a long history, dating back to the days of the ancient Silk Road. Today, the newly established Sino-French Institute in Lyon further deepens mutual understanding between our peoples," said Philippe Valentin, president of the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

French business representatives see immense potential for deeper cooperation between the two nations.

"China is today, I would say, the top in terms of automotive, in terms of innovation and new patents. And we are also looking for a lot of different skills and innovation to develop our development and collaboration in China," said Herve Vericel, vice president of Business Development and Advanced Engineering of Saint Jean Industries.

Chinese participants also expressed confidence in the future of bilateral cooperation.

"From aviation and sustainable development to infrastructure, China and France not only share extensive common interests, but also have their distinct advantages," said Zhou Mi, senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Yu Jiang, consul general of China in Lyon, underscored the growing momentum of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

"People-to-people exchanges between the two countries will become faster and more frequent, making our friendship stronger and more enduring," he said.

Lyon trade forum highlights deepening China-France cooperation