Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Monday in Beijing on May. 16,2016. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has implored the European Union to keep its "promise" and recognize China's market economy status.

"Europe has been the pioneer of free trade in the past few decades. I believe the European Union will make the wise and right choice when it comes to the question of whether we should be open or exercise protectionism in trade, whether we should keep the promise or break the promise to recognize China's market economy status. China has only one simple, clear and reasonable request on this: please keep your promise."

Wang was speaking at a joint news conference in Beijing on Monday, alongside his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault.

On Thursday, a majority of European Parliament lawmakers advised against granting China market economy status.

Many EU members said China has not met the five criteria of market economy set by European institutions.

But Beijing maintains that granting market economy status is dependent on international rules rather than domestic criteria.

China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Under the country's accession protocol, China will automatically transit to a market economy status for Europe by December this year.