Chinese FM expresses hope for "green lights at every crossing" for China-EU ties

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday expressed the hope that China-EU relations will move ahead smoothly with green lights at every crossing.

The EU's labeling of China as "a partner, competitor and systemic rival" at the same time is neither consistent with reality nor viable, he said at a press conference, adding that it only caused distractions and created obstacles for China-EU relations.

"It's like driving to a crossing and finding the red, yellow and green lights all on at the same time. How can you drive on?" asked Wang.

China and the EU do not have fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical strategic contradictions, and the common interests between the two sides far outweigh the differences, he said.

"The two sides should be characterized rightly as partners. Cooperation should be the defining feature of the relationship, autonomy its key value, and win-win its future," he said.

A strong EU is in the long-term interests of China. A strong China is also in the fundamental interests of EU, said the foreign minister.

China and the EU should jointly act as practitioners of multilateralism, advocates of open development, and promoters of cultural dialogue, according to Wang.

"As long as China and the EU engage in mutually beneficial cooperation, no attempt to create bloc confrontation will succeed; as long as China and Europe stay committed to openness and win-win, deglobalization will not prevail," said Wang.