On 26 November, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming had an on-line meeting with João Vale de Almeida, EU’s First Ambassador to the UK.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming extended a warm welcome to Ambassador João Vale de Almeida on assuming his post in the UK. He said, over the past 45 years since China-EU diplomatic ties have withstood the changes in the international landscape and showed strong vitality. Since the beginning of this year, President Xi Jinping has held two video meetings with President Charles Michel and President Ursula von der Leyen, where they reached broad consensus on making joint response to COVID-19 pandemic and promoting relationship between China and the EU. Not long ago, President Xi had a telephone conversation with Chancellor Markel in which he emphasized the global and strategic significance of China-EU cooperation under the complicated international situation and the need for the two sides to step up mutual trust and cooperation, enhance exchanges and mutual learning, safeguard multilateralism and improve global governance. China stands ready to work together with the EU on the basis of mutual respect to strengthen dialogues, deepen cooperation, and promote the continuous development of China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new situation.

Ambassador João Vale de Almeida agreed with Ambassador Liu on his positive remarks about China-EU relationship, the importance of this relationship at both bilateral and global levels, and the shared interests and broad space for cooperation between the two in handling many key international affairs. The EU highly appreciates China’s enormous effort in tackling global climate change and stands ready to enhance exchanges and communication and pragmatic cooperation with China in economy and trade, climate change, global governance, and other areas, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on international situation.