EU-China relations among "most strategically important" ones, says Slovenian minister

A Yuxin'ou (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) China-Europe freight train carrying more than 1,100 tonnes of polyvinyl alcohol and other fine chemical products left Guoyuan Port in Chongqing for Duisburg of Germany on Feb. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

The EU-China relationship holds immense strategic significance not just for the global economy, but also for such crucial matters as climate security, a Slovenian minister said.

BLED, Slovenia, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Union's (EU) relations with China are among the "most strategically important" ones, Slovenia's Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaz Han told Xinhua in a written interview on Tuesday.

"The EU and China are two of the biggest traders in the world. There is a high level of economic interdependence," he said on the sidelines of the 18th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), which concluded here on Tuesday.

The EU relations with China are not only strategically important in terms of the global economy, but also key to global food security, climate security, health issue and sustainable financing of the developing countries, he said.

Visitors join calligraphy workshop during the celebration of the 14th annual United Nations Chinese Language Day in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 20, 2023. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

Commenting on the outlook for bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, Han said, "Bilateral trade between China and Slovenia is growing on a yearly basis."

Han said that Slovenia aims to boost trade and investment cooperation with China, and that Slovenia welcomes technological investments in sustainable, green and circular development projects.

"We are interested in cooperation in the areas of automotive components, especially in the field of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, information and communication technology (ICT), biotechnology, new materials, alternative energy production, waste and water management, care for the elderly, etc.," he said.

Asked about Slovenia's cooperation with China in the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Han listed the main areas including transport, logistics, infrastructure, trade and investment promotion, finance, science and technology, sports and tourism, cultural and people-to-people exchanges. (1 euro = 1.08 U.S. dollar)