HR/VP Federica Mogherini visits Beijing to discuss bilateral relations and foreign policy cooperation

Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, today visited Beijing where she had meetings with Premier of the State Council, Li Keqiang, and State Councillor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. They discussed developments in EU-China relations over the past five years. There was a particular focus on shared interests in the respective foreign and security policy agendas.

 

The High Representative’s meeting with Premier Li Keqiang focused on bilateral relations. With 2020 likely to see both the regular EU-China Summit and an extraordinary summit of the European Council and China, the High Representative highlighted the need for more progress on rebalancing the trade and economic relationship, in particular through the ongoing negotiations for an EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment and for an Agreement on Geographic Indications.

 

The meeting with State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi reviewed a range of issues on the EU-China joint foreign and security policy agenda. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – the Iran nuclear deal, Afghanistan, the Korean Peninsula, Venezuela, Syria, cooperation on peace and security in Africa, connectivity, maritime security, human rights and Hong Kong were all discussed.

 

Throughout her visit, the High Representative emphasised that the new EU leadership will ensure continuity of the EU’s China policy. Following the successful EU-China summit in April 2019, she welcomed progress on the implementation of decisions taken and stressed the need to step up common work on the joint EU-China summit commitments. High Representative Mogherini also underlined to the Chinese leadership that the EU will continue to stand up for the universality, interdependence, and indivisibility of human rights based on the UN Charter and standards.