China agreed to coordinate economic policies with the European Union, liberalise trade and investment, and further open up its financial sector, but was silent on an investment deal frozen by disputes over human rights, geopolitics and the war in Ukraine.
In the ninth round of the trade and economic dialogue between the EU and China on Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis held “pragmatic”, “candid” and “efficient” discussions, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement.
“The two sides will strengthen communication and coordination of macroeconomic policies, increase cooperation in global food and energy security and other fields, and jointly promote global economic and financial stability,” the Chinese ministry said of the virtual talks.
The last round of such talks took place two years ago, also led by Liu and Dombrovskis, focusing on a landmark investment pact. By the end of 2020, Brussels and Beijing had concluded the deal, following seven years of talks, but have not since ratified it.