China's Xi seeks 'common ground' in 1st phone call with new EU Council chief

ISTANBUL

China’s President Xi Jinping sought “common ground” with the EU during his first phone call with the new EU Council chief Antonio Costa.

“Like-mindedness makes for partnership, and seeking common ground while respecting differences also defines partnership,” Xi told Antonio Costawho who assumed EU Council presidency last year, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Xi said there was “no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts” between China and the EU “making them partners that can contribute to each other's success.”

The call by Xi to reach “common ground” comes as the EU has raised tariffs on imports of Chinese Electric Vehicle while Beijing has launched anti-dumping probe against imports of pork as well as titanium dioxide from Europe.

The bilateral trade between two sides hovered around $762 billion last year.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations, Xi noted, calling it an “important milestone that serves as both a point of continuity and a new starting point.”

“The key lies in respecting each other's choice of social systems and development paths, as well as each other's core interests and major concerns,” Xi said, calling Europe an “important pole in a multipolar world.”

The Chinese president said the two sides should expand mutual openness, consolidate existing cooperation mechanisms, and foster new growth points in their cooperation.

Costa told Xi that the EU was “willing to work with China to … open up a brighter future for EU-China relations,” according to the news agency.

He added the bloc was “ready to properly address economic and trade differences with China through dialogue and consultation.”

The two sides also exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with Xi reiterating China's position of promoting peace talks between the warring parties.