Shizheng Shiyan丨This video meeting, Xi Jinping discusses the "post-epidemic era" Sino-European relations

　　There is a 6-hour time difference between Beijing and Brussels, the city where the EU headquarters is located. On the evening of June 22, President Xi Jinping met with the new EU leaders at a distant time. Six years ago, President Xi said in a speech when he visited the EU headquarters, "Let the prosperous bonfire warm the spring of the world economy." Six years later, when the haze of the new crown pneumonia epidemic enveloped the world, the meeting between the leaders of China and Europe will be What certainties increase in an uncertain world?

This video meeting created many firsts

　　This is the fourth time President Xi has met with foreign leaders since the war. Unlike the previous "face-to-face" with WHO Director-General Tan Desai, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Mongolian President Batturga, this is the first time that a "screen-to-screen" video interview is used.

△The Great Hall of the People at night. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Cheng Cheng)

△The scene before the meeting. (Photographed by Shi Cheng, CCTV reporter)

　　This meeting was held during the 22nd China-EU Leaders' Meeting. The annual meeting of leaders was established in 1998, and most of the years were held in turn in Europe and China. In 2013, 2016, and 2018, President Xi met with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission who came to China to attend the 16, 18, and 20 meetings. Affected by the epidemic this year, the China-EU leaders' meeting was changed to video for the first time.

△ This is the meeting site of the President of the European Council Michelle. (From the European Council Social Media)

　　This meeting on the evening of June 22 was the first meeting between President Xi and the new EU leaders. The European Council is the highest decision-making body of the European Union. The current chairman is Michelle, the former Prime Minister of Belgium, who took office on December 1 last year. The European Commission is the European Union’s legislative proposal and enforcement body. The current chairman is former German Defense Minister Von Delaine, who also took office on December 1 last year. In March this year, President Xi once called these two leaders to express their sincere condolences on the new coronary pneumonia epidemic in the EU.

△ Michelle took office as the new president of the European Council on December 1, 2019, for a term of two and a half years. (From the European Council Social Media)

△ Von Delaine was the first woman to serve as the president of the European Commission and the second German to take up this position after more than half a century. (From the European Commission social media)

What do you think of China-EU relations? Xi Jinping elaborated this way

　　Former President of the European Commission Juncker once said in a meeting with President Xi, "Europe-China cooperation can make a big thing in the world." Of course, the premise of cooperation is to fully understand and reach consensus. When President Xi delivered a speech at the European Academy in Bruges six years ago, he stated: "In order to advance China-EU relations, China needs to deepen its understanding of Europe, and the European side also needs to deepen its understanding of China."

△European College of Bruges.

　　During the meeting on the evening of June 22, President Xi explained to the new EU leaders that China wants peace, not hegemony, China is an opportunity, not a threat, and China is a partner, not an opponent. He said that China and the EU should respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences and reconcile differences, continuously enhance mutual understanding and trust, expand common interests in cooperation, and solve difficult problems in development. The two EU leaders expressed that the EU is willing to conduct a strategic dialogue with China in a frank manner and expand consensus.

△This is the Chinese flag and EU flag on the scene of the video meeting.

△On April 23, the EU and its 27 member states held the fourth video summit since the outbreak of the new coronary pneumonia. This is the scene of the press conference after Michelle and Von Delaine after the summit. (From Michelle social media)

　　The meeting was held against the background of the epidemic situation. The leaders of China and Europe are equally worried: the world under the impact of the epidemic is undergoing profound changes and facing more unstable and uncertain factors. In the face of this grim situation, President Xi clearly stated that China and Europe, as the world's two major forces, two major markets, and two major civilizations , have global significance in what they advocate, oppose, and cooperate with .

△The EU delivers medical supplies and equipment to member countries. (Provided by CCTV reporter Ma Jinjin)

What about China-EU cooperation? Xi Jinping advocates this

　　President Xi met with EU leaders for the first time during the China-EU leaders meeting, which was in 2013 seven years ago. He proposed at that time: China and Europe are the "two major forces" to maintain world peace, the "two major markets" to promote common development, and the "two major civilizations" to promote human progress.

△ Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is the seat of the main administrative agency of the European Union. Among the four main institutions of the European Union, the European Council, the European Commission and the European Council are all located in Brussels, so it has the reputation of being the “European Capital”.

　　How can China-EU cooperation in the "post-epidemic era" advance? President Xi said at this meeting that China-EU relations should also strive to nurture new opportunities during the crisis and start new situations in the face of changing circumstances. He made a new exposition on China's proposition 7 years ago.

China and Europe have to do two major forces to maintain global peace and stability. The world today is undergoing a major change that has not been seen in a century. The epidemic situation will further deepen conflicts and exacerbate conflicts. China is the largest developing country, and the EU is the largest consortium of developed countries. Strengthening communication and coordination on global issues between China and Europe can play a key role in maintaining world peace and stability.

△ On June 5, China-Europe trains full of epidemic prevention materials set off at the West Station of Yiwu, Zhejiang, and left the Xinjiang Alashankou port to Madrid, the capital of Spain.

China and Europe will be the two major markets that promote global development and prosperity. During President Xi’s visit to the EU headquarters, he proposed that China and the EU should become the “dual engines” of world economic growth. After the outbreak, the two major economies in China and Europe should play the role of the "dual engine" of the world economy and boost the recovery of the world economy. During the meeting, the two sides stated that they should accelerate the negotiation of the China-EU Investment Agreement and strive to reach this agreement as soon as possible.

△On May 27, 200 Jinlong buses set sail from Xiamen terminal to Cyprus, which set a new record for the largest number of Chinese buses exported to Europe.

China and Europe must implement two civilizations that adhere to multilateralism and improve global governance. President Xi reiterated that no matter how the international situation changes, China will stand on the side of multilateralism and adhere to the global governance concept of consultation, joint construction and sharing. During the meeting, the EU leaders stated that the EU adheres to multilateralism and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on major issues within the framework of the United Nations.

△Belgium will resume the opening of the border to the EU and Schengen countries and the United Kingdom from the 15th of this month, and Brussels Airport will resume passenger transportation.

How to build world influence? Xi Jinping looks forward to this

　　During this meeting, Xi Jinping proposed that China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership with greater world influence should be built .

　　This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. On May 6, 1975, China established diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union. In 2003, China and Europe established a comprehensive strategic partnership. In April 2014, as the first Chinese president to visit the EU headquarters, Xi Jinping first proposed the four partnerships of peace, growth, reform and civilization .

△The Bremen Building, the seat of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

　　During the meeting on the 22nd, President Xi proposed that he would like to maintain close communication with the two presidents, advance a series of major political agendas between China and Europe, and push China-EU relations to a new level.

　　In the second half of this year, Germany will take over the EU presidency. On the evening of June 3, President Xi mentioned in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that China and Germany and China and Europe are discussing a series of major political exchange agendas. China is willing to maintain close communication and coordination with Germany and Europe to ensure that These activities were successful. During the meeting on the evening of the 22nd, the two EU leaders also expressed that the EU is willing to work together with China to promote the success of the major political agenda agreed between Europe and China.

△ On June 7, the world's largest container ship "HMM Algeciras" first arrived in the port of Hamburg, Germany.

　　It is foreseeable that the major political agenda between China and Europe will promote China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership to become more influential in the world, and will also inject strong positive energy into the hazy world.

　　President Xi once said that although China and Europe are thousands of miles apart, they both live in the same time and in the same space, and their lives are closely related. At present, both China and Europe are in a critical period of development and are facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Both China and Europe are taking the road that their predecessors haven't, and doing things that their predecessors haven't. China and Europe join hands to expand their journey .

　　Producer丨Shen Yong

　　Writing 丨 Gong Xuehui Yu Zhenyi

　　Vision丨Chen Kuo