On July 5, 2021 Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a virtual summit. The meeting followed the 100th anniversary's celebrations of the Chinese Communist Party. European experts and media said that this virtual summit aimed to “serve to seek common ground,” and “signals a desire for closer collaboration”.
In 2020, China became the EU's first trading partner and it was concluded the bilateral investment treaty, after 7 years of negotiations, but the ratification of the treaty is still pending.
Amongst other topics, Chinese, French and German Leaders talked about EU-China relations, international trade, climate protection and biodiversity, as well as cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, global vaccine supply, and other international and regional issues (including Africa). The Leaders also expressed their willing to ease travel restrictions in order to restore personnel and trade exchanges.
Moreover, China said to be ready to work with Europe at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), and the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. China and Europe will also cooperate for the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and for ensuring a successful Beijing Winter Olympics and Paris Olympics. Leaders also agreed the convening of the 23rd EU-China leaders' meeting at an early date.
Silk Council press office