Statement by President von der Leyen at the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Thank you very much, Mr President, for the very warm welcome.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure and the honour to visit the Temple of Heaven, a strong symbol for the longevity of Chinese tradition and history. And it is a pleasure to see you again, and to be here in China for the second time this year. This speaks for the importance that the European Union attaches to its major relationship with China. We have massive trade between us – EUR 2.3 billion a day – and important investment stakes in each other’s economies.

And as major powers in the world, the European Union and China have global responsibilities. We have a shared interest in peace and security, in the effective functioning of the rules-based international order, and to find solutions to global challenges. That is why it is essential to put an end to the Russian aggression against Ukraine and establish a just and lasting peace consistent with the UN Charter, and, in the same vein, to do everything possible to work for a two-state solution in the Middle East.

How we can manage our relationship as well as the significant economic and geopolitical common interests we have matters to both the European Union and China. Because it has a direct impact on the prosperity and security of our people. At times, our interests coincide. When they do not, we need to address and responsibly manage the concerns that we have. That is why I welcome the opportunity today to have frank and open exchanges, which are the foundation of a constructive relationship.

We will discuss how to rebalance our economic relationship. China is the EU’s most important trading partner. But there are clear imbalances and differences that we must address. We both recognise the importance of de-risking and strengthening the resilience of our economies. That is why the European Union is working to ensure the security of its supply chains, critical infrastructure, and technological and industrial bases. We will discuss how to continue our cooperation on climate change, and on how to increase our cooperation on global rules for artificial intelligence.

Our teams have held several dialogues in the past few months – on climate, trade, digital issues. I propose that we hold our people-to-people dialogue very soon in the new year. It is also very good that our dialogue on human rights has resumed. These are important issues to discuss. All these dialogues have helped us to clearly identify our respective positions.

I am now looking forward to our discussions. And I am looking forward to making real progress.

Thank you.