Chinese Premier Li Keqiang co-chaired the 21st China-EU Summit in Brussels with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Xinhua (April 10) said that both sides agreed that China and the EU have “broad common interests” in win-win cooperation, maintaining multilateralism and an open world economy, and opposing protectionism and unilateralism.” The two sides also “pledged to support multilateralism; respect basic norms in international law and international relations with the UN as the core; strongly support the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO as the core; and strengthen dialogue and cooperation regarding WTO reform.” China and the EU “pledged to provide broader, more convenient, and non-discriminatory market access,” and to work towards concluding negotiations on a China-EU investment agreement in 2019. The two sides also “agreed to promote the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU/Europe-Asia Interconnection Strategy.” They will also strengthen cooperation in areas such as combating climate change and developing clean energy as part of their commitment to the Paris Agreement. The two entities also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the “four major partnerships”: peace, growth, reform, and civilizational progress.
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