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SUBJECT [June 23] The European Union and China holds their 22nd bilateral Summit via video conference
DATE 2020-06-23
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Photo: Scmp. European Council President Charles Michel, in Brussels, takes part in a virtual summit with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang

 

On June 22, the European Union and China held their 22nd bilateral Summit via video conference. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the European Commision, met with Li Keqiang, Chinese Premier, to discuss EU-China relations, regional and international issues, COVID-19 crisis, and economic recovery.

 

President Michel mentioned the importance of the EU and China’s cooperation in solving many global problems that need to be dealt with. He emphasized that global challenges such as climate change, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, or dealing with COVID-19, need to be tackled together. President von der Leyen also stated that these issues crucially require the EU-China partnership, and highlighted that the relationship needs to be more rule-based and reciprocal as the two sides do not share the same values or approach to multilateralism.

 

In turn, Premier Li told the EU leaders that cooperation between the EU and China outweighed competition, and there was more consensus than difference between the two. He expressed China’s willingness to maintain their efforts for WTO to reform and to constructively participate in multilateral efforts in solving climate change issues.

 

[Sources]

Europarl. (2020, June 22). China summit via video conference, 22 June 2020. Retrieved from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2020/06/22/.

 

Europarl. (2020, June 22). EU-China Summit: Defending EU interests and values in a complex and vital partnership - Press release by President Michel and President von der Leyen. Consilium. Retrieved from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/22/eu-china-summit-defending-eu-interests-and-values-in-a-complex-and-vital-partnership/.

 

Scmp. (2020, June 22). China puts focus on consensus, EU highlights differences after summit. South China Morning Post. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3090147/eu-china-summit-beijing-puts-focus-consensus-while-brussels.

 

 

BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)