China and EU can manage trade differences through dialogue, Wang Yi says

China and the European Union are fully capable of managing trade differences through dialogue, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday, as China and France welcomed progress in recent China-EU trade and investment consultations.

Wang made the remarks during the latest round of the China-France Strategic Dialogue with French President's Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne in Datong, Shanxi province.

Bonne said Europe does not want a trade war with China or seek to decouple from it, and is ready to be a credible and reliable partner.

The two sides held lengthy, in-depth discussions on deepening China-France strategic cooperation and reached broad consensus. Bonne is visiting China from Friday to Tuesday.

Wang said positive progress at the second meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism demonstrated that the two sides, as comprehensive strategic partners, can properly handle economic and trade differences through dialogue, uphold multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and restore momentum toward the sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

He expressed the hope that France, as a core EU member, would continue to play a constructive role in the China-EU mutually beneficial cooperation.

The China-EU trade and economic consultations took place in Beijing from Thursday to Friday between Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic.

According to a joint statement published by China's Ministry of Commerce, China and the EU agreed to maintain stable economic and trade ties and make them more balanced. Their next meeting under the mechanism is scheduled for March 2027.

Speaking to Bonne, Wang stressed that trust is a defining feature of China-EU relations and the foundation on which they rest, while economic and trade differences are temporary.

The two sides should remain committed to their partnership and keep cooperation as the keynote of their relations, placing trade issues in their proper position within the broader relationship, he said.

The two sides should pursue win-win outcomes, avoid lose-lose results and promote trade balance in an upward, rather than a downward, direction, Wang said.

Bonne described the latest consultations as an important step in a positive direction, saying Europe needs China for its development.

Europe is willing to define its relationship with China through balance and cooperation and pursue common development based on trust and respect for commitments, he said.

On bilateral ties, Wang said China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with France, expand and strengthen cooperation in traditional sectors such as aviation, aerospace and nuclear energy, and explore cooperation in emerging areas including advanced manufacturing, green and low-carbon development, and artificial intelligence.

He also called for deeper exchanges in education, culture, youth, sports, and at the subnational level, and expressed the hope that France would provide policy support and a favorable environment for Chinese companies to invest and do business in the country.

With change and turbulence becoming more pronounced in the international landscape, China is ready to work with France to implement the common understandings reached by the two heads of state, maintain strategic communication and enhance strategic mutual trust, Wang said.

The two countries should make fresh efforts to ensure the steady and sustained development of China-France and China-EU relations and promote world peace, stability and development, he said.

Wang noted that the China-France Strategic Dialogue was the first high-level strategic consultation mechanism China established with a major Western country.

The mechanism has played an important role as bilateral relations have developed, particularly in serving head-of-state diplomacy, consolidating political mutual trust and demonstrating the responsibilities of major countries, he said.

As major countries committed to independence and multilateralism, China and France should strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations framework, jointly advance the implementation of the four global initiatives and work toward a more just and equitable global governance system, Wang said.

He said the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, expressing the hope that France would honor its commitment to the one-China policy and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Bonne said France and China share a deep-rooted friendship, recalling that the first French president to visit China traveled to Datong in 1973, leaving a memorable chapter in bilateral relations.

France is ready to work with China to carry forward their long-standing friendship and continue developing a solid and dynamic comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect, friendship and mutual trust, he said.

Bonne reaffirmed France's commitment to the one-China policy, saying that position will not change.

He called for close high-level exchanges, stronger people-to-people exchanges and deeper mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, nuclear energy, outer space, the internet, artificial intelligence and new technologies to deliver more benefits to both peoples.

France will continue to provide a predictable business environment for Chinese investors, Bonne said.

He also spoke positively of China's global initiatives, saying France is ready to strengthen multilateral coordination with China and play a greater constructive role in helping the international community address global crises and achieve common development.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East. They agreed to continue making full use of the strategic dialogue mechanism, maintain communication and strengthen coordination on international affairs.