ADDS QUOTES FROM VON DER LEYEN, COSTA
By Ilayda Cakirtekin
ISTANBUL (AA) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday said the European Union should "make correct strategic choices," urging the bloc's top leaders to strengthen "trust and communication" amid global uncertainty, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
In his opening remarks at the 25th EU-China summit that began at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi said the Chinese and European leaders should meet the expectations of the people.
The Chinese leader along with Premier Li Qiang met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the head of the European Council Antonio Costa.
Mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, open cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results should be adhered to in the future development of China-EU relations, Xi said.
Stressing that both China and Europe are constructive forces that advocate multilateralism and open cooperation, he said "the more severe and complex the international situation is, the more China and Europe should strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation, so as to provide more stability and certainty to the world."
"We must firmly grasp the correct direction of the development of China-Europe relations and work together to open up a brighter next 50 years for China-Europe relations," Xi maintained.
"Faced with the accelerated evolution of the world's century-old changes and the international situation of intertwined changes and chaos, the leaders of China and the EU should once again demonstrate their foresight and responsibility and make correct strategic choices that meet the expectations of the people and stand the test of history," he said.
Von der Leyen, for her part, reiterated that Europe believes in the "power of free trade" to drive prosperity and called for a "fair" competition.
"We know that our trade relationship today needs more balance. Rebalancing is a necessity, and it is also in the interest of a stronger relationship between us," she said.
She suggested increasing market access for European companies in China and reducing export controls as "important steps" forward.
"It is in our mutual interest that our trade relations are balanced and fair to benefit current and future generations," Costa added.
The meeting is being held as the two sides commemorate 50 years of diplomatic ties, with annual trade being more than $860 billion.
The day-long key summit is expected to be dominated by simmering issues ranging from trade disputes to the Russia-Ukraine war. Issues of trade imbalance, market access and rare earths are also on the agenda.
*Aamir Latif contributed to this story