Shared responsibility to contribute valuable stability and certainty to a turbulent world: China Daily editorial

Admittedly, the relations between China and its European partners face no lack of challenges, be it their differences on the Ukraine crisis or their trade disputes. That their relations continue to evolve on the right track despite these dissimilarities indicates they are capable of preventing them from defining their ties.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi's seven-day visits to Europe starting on Monday highlight the latest efforts of the two sides to continue seeking common development and maintain the positive and pragmatic momentum of their relations.

While some major countries are setting restrictions for communications and taking a protectionist view on cooperation, China and the European side have long held a consensus that, as major players on the world stage, they are obliged to contribute more certainty and stability to the world, which is increasingly but wrongly defined by conflict rather than cooperation, and suspicion not communication.

The headwinds the two sides have encountered while upholding multilateralism, inclusive economic globalization and a fair and just world order should make them realize that the more severe and complex the international situation becomes, the more they should adhere to the original aspirations of their diplomatic ties.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the European Union. Over the past 50 years, China-EU cooperation has achieved rapid development, with their trade volume growing from $2.4 billion to $780 billion, and investment growing from almost zero to nearly $260 billion. Today, the total economic volume of China and Europe exceeds one-third of the world's, and China-EU cooperation has great strategic significance and global influence.

Wang's packed itinerary shows the importance China attaches to his visits, which seek to continue the positive momentum of the development of China's relations with the relevant parties, underlining the cooperative and communicative nature of China's relations with European partners.

During the visits Wang is scheduled to visit the EU Headquarters and co-host the 13th round of China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue, and visit Germany where he will participate in the eighth round of the China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security. He will also visit France for talks with his French counterpart and attend the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges. While in Brussels, Wang plans to meet and have talks with Belgium's prime minister as well as other senior Belgian officials.

As unprecedented global changes unfold at a faster pace and unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practices are on the rise, it is necessary for China and the EU to strengthen their strategic communication, and conduct coordination and cooperation to help jointly keep the world peaceful and stable, safeguard multilateralism, free trade, and the international rules, and firmly act as anchors of stability and as constructive forces in a volatile world.

The face-to-face communication is expected to help the two sides better exchange views on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues, gain a deeper understanding of each other's stance and concerns, and focus more on taking advantage of multiple meeting and cooperation mechanisms to balance their interests and seek a proper resolution to their common concerns.

The history of China-EU relations demonstrates that as long as both sides uphold mutual respect, treat each other as equals, and engage in candid dialogue, they can advance cooperation and make significant achievements. 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.

There exists no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts between China and the EU, so there should be nothing preventing them from contributing to each other's success. China has always regarded Europe as an important pole in a multipolar world, firmly supported European integration, and backed the EU's pursuit of strategic autonomy.

That is also true of China's relations with the EU member states, including France, Germany and Belgium. A healthy China-EU relationship will not only promote mutual success, but also illuminate the world by contributing to global peace and prosperity.