Over the past five decades, China-EU relations maintained steady growth amid the shifting international situation, progressing from diplomatic engagement to a comprehensive strategic partnership, says Cai Run, head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU).

BRUSSELS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- As the 25th China-EU Summit is drawing near in Beijing, Europe should join China to seize the opportunity to chart a brighter future for bilateral relations by building on past achievements, Cai Run, head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU), has said.

Cai aired the view in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the EU, Cai said the move to establish diplomatic ties between the two sides was a historic one that showed extraordinary political wisdom and courage of the leadership on both sides.

The decision broke through Cold War divisions, opened the door for bilateral exchanges and cooperation, and exerted a profound and far-reaching influence on international relations and the global landscape, Cai said.

Over the years, China-EU relations have maintained steady growth amid the shifting international situation, progressing from diplomatic engagement to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Cai said.

He highlighted the important insights drawn from the experience of the past five decades, emphasizing the consistent strategic guidance of the development of relations by the head-of-state diplomacy, respect for each other's independently chosen social systems and development paths as well as each other's major concerns and core interests, and the commitment to a partnership-oriented approach.

Cai also underscored the shared principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and the commitment of both sides to multilateralism.

On the economic front, Cai called trade and investment cooperation a key stabilizer and catalyst in China-EU relations. The two together account for over one-third of the global GDP and more than one-quarter of the world trade.

"China-EU economic and trade cooperation has become a model of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and an engine for global development and prosperity," Cai said.

He stressed that both sides are firm supporters of the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and advocates of free trade.

Amid rising unilateralism and protectionism, he noted that the world expects China and the EU to work together to push global economic governance toward greater fairness and equity.

"As long as both sides remain committed to openness and mutual benefit, the global trend of economic globalization will not be reversed," Cai said.

Looking ahead, the Chinese diplomat called on both sides to consolidate cooperation in the traditional areas, including trade, science and technology, education, culture, environment, and tourism, while expanding collaboration in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and green development.

Given the size and scope of bilateral cooperation, some frictions are inevitable, Cai said, while reiterating that China firmly opposes the politicization and pan-securitization of trade issues and rejects protectionism.

"We hope that the EU will move in the same direction with China, uphold the spirit of dialogue and consultation as agreed upon by our leaders, and demonstrate the political will to resolve the differences and frictions," Cai said.

He also stressed the importance of people-to-people exchanges to underpin bilateral ties. He said that China will expand its visa-free policy for EU citizens, and effectively implement the initiative to host more than 10,000 European students in three years and increase the number of European youths to visit China for exchanges.

China hopes that the EU side will respond positively to the related proposals and work together to enhance mutual understanding between the peoples, so as to inject sustained momentum into the development of their relations, Cai said.

Standing at a new historical starting point after 50 years of development, the China-EU relations are now of greater strategic and global significance amid accelerating changes in the global landscape, Cai said. He called on the EU to adopt an objective and rational view of China and pursue a more positive and practical China policy.

"China is ready to work with the EU to seize cooperation opportunities and properly manage differences to achieve a stable relationship that not only promotes mutual achievements, but also illuminates the world," Cai said.