China reaches out to EU member states, telling Finland ‘we’re partners, not rivals’
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi says there is a ‘huge need for cooperation’ in talks with Finnish counterpart
- Pekka Haavisto raised the issue of cybersecurity and expressed ‘serious concerns’ about Xinjiang and Hong Kong
Wang also urged Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto to stay independent when dealing with China during their meeting in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Sunday.
“There is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and Europe, there is only a huge need for cooperation, and it is entirely possible to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results,” Wang told Haavisto, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.
“China and Europe are partners, not rivals, and their common interests far outweigh their differences,” Wang said. “China is willing to work with the European side to enhance mutual trust through frank dialogue, resolve differences through equal consultation and promote the sustainable, healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.”
“The key is to insist on respecting each other’s core interests, on deepening strategic mutual trust through friendly communication, and on treating each other as equals,” he said.
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