Xi's initiatives for EU partnership

The president's intensive discussions, speeches and articles show the importance Chinese leadership attaches to relationship

President Xi Jinping's European trip from March 22 to Tuesday, including a visit to the European Union's headquarters, has displayed clearly the importance the EU has in China's diplomatic agenda.

To show how important the European Union is for China was one of the priorities of Xi's visit. More importantly, his trip to the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium, and visit to the EU's headquarters had three purposes: to explore ways to deepen and expand China-EU bilateral economic and trade cooperation; to transcend trading relations and enrich China-EU strategic cooperation; and to deepen mutual understanding, reduce trade and political frictions and realize the stable development of bilateral relations.