Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

Regarding the recent progress of the intensive consultations between China and the EU, China's Ministry of Commerce Spokesperson He Yadong said at a regular press conference on Thursday that at the first meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism, the two sides reached a consensus on the new positioning of a stable and balanced key trading partnership and reached preliminary agreement on holding the second meeting of the consultation mechanism in fall of this year.

He said that over the past month, we have actively implemented the consensus and outcomes of the first meeting, made full preparations for the second meeting, conducted intensive internal coordination, and maintained high-frequency, multi-level consultations with the EU. The working teams of the two sides have held more than 20 consultations respectively, and the four working groups have conducted in-depth and professional communications on each other's economic and trade concerns. 

China is willing to continue maintaining high-frequency communication with the EU, show mutual respect and meet each other halfway, explore practical and feasible solutions to each other's concerns in the economic and trade field, promote the upward balancing and forward development of China-EU trade, and maintain the stability and balance of the China-EU key trading partnership.

Global Times