China, EU discuss establishment of trade, investment consultation mechanism: ministry

China and the European Union (EU) are discussing the establishment of a trade and investment consultation mechanism and will hold related dialogue, the Ministry of Commerce said Saturday.

China has maintained smooth communication with the EU, a ministry spokesperson said in response to a media inquiry about the European Commission's College of Commissioners orientation debate on EU-China relations, which was held on Friday.

China and the EU are important economic and trade partners based on equality and mutual benefit, the spokesperson said, adding that China expects the EU side to abide by World Trade Organization rules, uphold free trade and fair competition, and firmly oppose protectionism and unilateralism.

The spokesperson expressed hope that the EU will work with China to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both sides, address differences and frictions through dialogue and consultation, and promote the steady and sound development of China-EU economic and trade relations.

If the European side insists on unilaterally rolling out new trade instruments and imposing discriminatory restrictions, China will respond firmly and take effective measures to safeguard its own interests, the spokesperson added.

China, EU discuss establishment of trade, investment consultation mechanism: ministry

Mutual respect and communication between the United States and China are meaningful to maintaining regional and global peace, said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 on Saturday.

The three-day event, Asia's premier defense and security summit, opened on Friday in Singapore amid growing geopolitical tensions.

Focusing on major security challenges facing the region, the event is expected to bring together more than 550 delegates from over 40 countries and regions.

Hegseth said the leaders of the United States and China have reached an important consensus on building a constructive relationship of strategic stability. The U.S. side supports strengthening communication and engagement between the two militaries and enhancing mutual understanding through candid exchanges.

To establish an effective communication framework helps maintain world peace and stability, he said.

"I think there is a mutual respect, a recognition of capabilities in power and how that could be most usefully leveraged in the world today. With both powers that I want to reassure this audience, I think it's real, I think it's substantive, and I think it's meaningful for the history of peace in the region, in the world," said Hegseth.

Mutual respect between U.S., China meaningful for world peace: U.S. defense chief