EU-China: more climate efforts. Costa: 'Concrete progress on trade and economy'
Brussels calls for fairer economic relations and a common commitment to climate, health and international rules
2' min read
2' min read
China and the European Union pledge to 'step up' action to tackle climate change. This was stated in the joint declaration of the EU-China summit in Beijing. "In the current fluid and turbulent international situation, it is crucial that all countries, in particular major economies, intensify their efforts to address climate change," the European and Chinese leaders write, stressing that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement are "the cornerstone of international climate cooperation".
The European Union is relaunching its dialogue with China, focusing on concrete cooperation, mutual respect and global responsibility. This was reiterated by the President of the European Council António Costa during his meeting in Beijing with President Xi Jinping, also attended by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission.
At the centre of the discussion was the political will to make economic and trade relations more balanced. "We both want our relations to be mutually beneficial," Costa said, emphasising how the EU and China, despite their different political and economic models, have developed an intense interconnection in recent decades, based on trade, investment and strategic cooperation that has contributed to the prosperity of both sides.
The global framework in which the dialogue takes place is marked by strong instabilities: international crises, market volatility and transnational challenges test the multilateral order. In this context, Brussels and Beijing are recognised as key players in the maintenance of international rules and the management of planetary crises.
Costa expressed the hope that the summit could translate into a clear political signal in the run-up to COP30 in Brazil, relaunching the joint commitment to climate, biodiversity, food security and the response to health emergencies. Bilateral cooperation, he concluded, must be based on an equal, transparent and mutually respectful involvement.
