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Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing on Thursday. The meeting comes at a critical juncture – not just to commemorate five decades of China-EU diplomatic engagement, but to reaffirm the strategic importance of their ties amid a complex global landscape.

Admittedly, the relationship between China and Europe faces undeniable challenges, including differing political values, trade imbalances, and geopolitical tensions. But these differences cannot overshadow the vast potential that China-EU cooperation holds for the future of global stability and prosperity.

Both being viewed as "big guys" in the international community, China and the EU should keep their bilateral relationship growing in the right direction, and work together to usher it into an even brighter next 50 years, Xi said during the meeting.

Together, China and the European Union account for more than one-third of global GDP. Their intertwined economies, combined influence in international affairs, and shared responsibilities in global governance make their partnership essential for the international order.

Trade remains fundamental. Despite certain Western countries' concerns about market access and trade "imbalances," China-EU bilateral trade has grown from $2.4 billion to $780 billion in the past five decades, with investment soaring from almost zero to nearly $260 billion. This underlines the deep economic interdependence that benefits both sides.

China-EU robust trade is amply illustrated by their prospering freight train services. Last year, the 100,000th China-Europe freight train reached Duisburg, Germany, highlighting the importance, durability, and increasing impact of this cross-continental connection.

Beyond economics, China and the EU share critical common interests in addressing global challenges. Climate change, public health, and technological innovation are areas where their cooperation not only brings tangible benefits but also demonstrates leadership within the international community.

China-EU cooperation has yielded fruitful results, with each providing significant support for the other's development and providing tangible benefits to Chinese and EU people, making important contributions to global peace and development, and setting an example of mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday.

True, China and the EU have disagreements. However, both sides have demonstrated a shared understanding that these issues should be addressed through continued dialogue rather than confrontation.

The meeting reaffirmed that open, constructive communication between China and the EU remains indispensable. As Xi stressed on Thursday, China and the EU should respect each other, seek commonality while reserving differences, uphold openness and cooperation, and pursue mutual benefit.

In a world marked by escalating protectionism and shifting alliances, the China-EU partnership offers a stabilizing force, balancing global economic and strategic dynamics. During the meeting, Xi also underscored the importance for China and the EU – both constructive forces for multilateralism and openness and cooperation – to strengthen communication, enhance trust and deepen cooperation in a more challenging and complex international situation, in order to provide more stability and certainty for the world through steady and sound China-EU relations.

China and the EU stand at a pivotal crossroads. Their relationship is tested by global instability and changing power dynamics, but the meeting on Thursday demonstrated a firm commitment on both sides: to persevere in dialogue, seek common ground, and embrace cooperation.

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