President Xi Jinping meets with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo_Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States

On the afternoon of January 12, 2024, President Xi Jinping met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander Decroo, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Belgium relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Belgium 53 years ago, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results and benefited the peoples of both countries. China and Belgium are both beneficiaries of economic globalization and share common interests in rejecting protectionism and defending free trade. Recognizing that Prime Minister Alexander Decroo has repeatedly publicly opposed the decoupling and fragmentation of industrial and supply chains, China welcomes Belgian companies to invest and operate in China and provides them with a sound Ready to provide a business environment. Xi Jinping expressed his hope that Belgium will also provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. Both sides can leverage their respective strengths to expand cooperation in traditional areas such as transportation, logistics and biopharmaceuticals, and explore new growth areas for cooperation such as green development and the digital economy. Both countries encourage government ministries, parliaments, and local governments to strengthen exchanges and dialogue, expand interactive tourism and international student exchanges, organize large-scale cultural activities in each other’s countries, and conduct research on giant panda conservation. There is a need to. And we will continue to strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people friendship, inject new impetus into China-Belgium relations and open up new prospects. China stands ready to strengthen communication with Belgium within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations, and carry out cooperation on issues such as addressing climate change and protecting biodiversity.

Xi Jinping stressed that China has maintained long-term consistency in its policy towards Europe and has always regarded Europe as a cooperative partner. Xi Jinping expressed his hope that Europe will play a positive and constructive role as an important force in a multipolar world. In the face of the changing and unstable international situation, China and Europe need to further build “bridges”. The two countries should work more closely to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, and jointly promote world peace, stability and prosperity. China is ready to cooperate with the European Union (EU) to promote steady progress in China-EU relations in the new year, and looks forward to Belgium, as the EU’s rotating presidency, to play an active role in this regard. There is.

Alexander de Croo said that Belgium-China relations have a rich history and are in many respects at the forefront of EU-China relations. Belgium will continue to adhere to the “one China” policy. Belgium stands ready to engage in frank dialogue with China to deepen understanding and encourage the continued development of bilateral relations in political, economic and other fields. The Belgian side opposes the decoupling and separation of industrial and supply chains, welcomes Chinese companies’ cooperation in Belgium, and looks forward to strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China. Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping gave a wonderful speech in Bruges during his visit to Belgium, and the vivid description of a “bridge” in it was memorable. In the current changing and turbulent international situation, the world needs China and Europe to work together as partners and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas, including promoting global economic growth, combating climate change, and building a more stable world. need. As the rotating EU Presidency, Belgium is ready to play an active role in the development of EU-China relations. Mr. Alexander de Croo expressed his hope that this visit would help to take Belgium-China and EU-China relations to new heights.

Wang Yi also attended the meeting.