BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- China is prepared to enhance coordination with the EU to keep the relations on the right track, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency and China Media Group.

He said the year 2020 marked the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and the EU. And throughout the years, the relationship has on the whole focused on dialogue, cooperation and mutual benefit, and demonstrated strong vitality by progressing with the times.

"The most important conclusion is that our cooperation and common understandings far outweigh competition and differences. China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, not systemic rivals," he said.

"The most important mission is to jointly tackle global challenges, promote a multi-polar world, economic globalization and greater democracy in international relations, and inject more stability and certainty into a turbulent and changing world," he said.

"President Xi Jinping and European leaders have jointly announced the conclusion of negotiations on a China-EU investment treaty, adding fresh, strong impetus to China-EU cooperation. It is also great news for the struggling global economy," he said, stressing that in 2020, China and the EU made new progress in their relations despite COVID-19.

China will remain a supporter of European integration, greater strategic autonomy of the EU, and a bigger role of the EU in international affairs, he said.

"The multilateralism that our two sides advocate must be dedicated to unity and cooperation rather than group politics. It needs to transcend systemic difference rather than draw lines along ideology," he said.