Marking a step forward in repairing ties and deepening cooperation, China and the European Parliament have agreed to lift restrictions on mutual exchanges, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for stronger China-EU relations as the two sides commemorate 50 years of diplomatic engagement.
In a statement reported by state-run Xinhua on Tuesday, Xi said China is ready to enhance cooperation with the EU and manage disagreements through dialogue.
“Healthy, stable China-EU ties not only promote mutual achievements, but also illuminate the world,” Xi said. He urged both sides to support fairness, oppose unilateral pressure, and recognize the partnership as one of the most significant on the global stage.
Although Xi did not mention the United States directly, the effort to rebuild China-EU relations comes as global trade faces rising tensions.
China has shown interest in reinforcing economic and political ties with Europe to reduce the impact of U.S. tariffs on its exports.
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed that China and the European Parliament had jointly decided to lift restrictions on mutual exchanges between their legislative bodies.
Lin explained that exchanges between the legislative bodies of China and the EU over the past few years have faced twists and turns. He emphasized the importance of restoring dialogue under current global conditions.
“We believe and expect that with the full resumption of exchanges between the legislative bodies of China and the EU, the two sides will deepen communication and understanding, which will inject new impetus into the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-Europe relations,” Lin said.
The move follows the European Union’s announcement last week that China will remove sanctions imposed in 2021 on members of the European Parliament and its human rights subcommittee.
The sanctions were introduced in response to Western criticism of China’s treatment of Muslim Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.
China expressed its readiness to host European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a new round of high-level talks at an appropriate time.
Lin also announced that China and the EU will hold senior-level meetings this year, focusing on strategy, trade, environmental efforts, and digital development.
“Both sides believe it is very important for China and Europe to strengthen dialogue and cooperation,” Lin said, adding that the renewed engagement is expected to give fresh momentum to the broader relationship.
