Explore untapped potential in EU-China ties

With preparations already underway for the next EU-China Summit, it is now time to turn words into actions. One such action would be the acceleration of negotiations on a comprehensive, ambitious bilateral investment agreement, as well as the deepening of our cooperation in the WTO and other plurilateral negotiations. This would further open up access to each other's markets, while creating more balanced world trade.

EU technology, know-how, services and investment can positively contribute to China's efforts to achieve innovative, balanced, sustainable and socially-inclusive growth-and to become a successful high-income economy. There is huge opportunity for sharing the EU's experience through the EU-China Sustainable Urbanisation Partnership and for further developing connectivity between Europe and Asia, which will bring benefit to both sides.

Another area where the EU and China must work together more is in the environment and climate change. A successful outcome to the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris later this year would send a strong signal to the entire world. This will be an important step on the path to a cleaner, greener, low-carbon future.

Last December, President of the European Council Donald Tusk in his first conversation with President Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of developing a strong strategic relationship with China, saying that the 40th anniversary of EU-China relations would be a good moment for the next EU-China Summit to develop further our trade, economic, investment and political relations.

We echo this sentiment and with one voice express our hope that this year will be a memorable one for EU-China relations.

The article is co-authored by the Ambassadors to China of the European Union and the 28 EU Member States of Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.