China and EU ties still on ‘very good’ ground, Chinese envoy says in call to drop mutual sanctions, revive trade pact
- Europe views Beijing as a rival but respects its position on issues like the war in Ukraine, Chinese ambassador Fu Cong tells CGTN
- China has proposed to the EU that both sides ‘lift sanctions simultaneously’, Fu says
“Europe is divided on certain issues, especially if you judge it from public rhetoric,” Fu said.
“But what gives me encouragement is that since I came [to Brussels], I have talked to politicians and officials. I’m quite encouraged by what they say privately to me. They say that they will stick to strategic autonomy. There will be no decoupling between China and the EU,” he emphasised.
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Russia-Ukraine war discussed in Chinese and EU leaders’ meeting amid rising tensions
“They fully understand and respect China’s position on issues like the Ukrainian crisis and so on and so forth. So I feel that the basic foundation between China and the EU is very good,” Fu added, according to a transcript of the interview posted to the website of the Chinese diplomatic mission to the EU on Thursday.
