The European Union sets its sights on high ambitions with China: elements for a new EU strategy on China adopted

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission today adopted a Joint Communication that maps out the European Union’s relationship with China for the next five years. Federica Mogherini, the High Representative/Vice-President, said: “The European Union and China already cooperate on so much: we work together on the global and political issues of our times, such as Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, migration and climate change. But we can and must do more to connect the European Union and China. Our citizens, industries, and organisations can all benefit from a closer, improved, and better-defined EU-China relationship based on shared responsibility. The Joint Communication that we have adopted today will, I am sure, enable our relationship to fulfil its clear potential.” The Joint Communication identifies major opportunities for the EU’s relationship with China, in particular with the aim of creating jobs and growth in Europe as well as vigorously promoting a greater opening up of the Chinese market to European business, thus contributing to the first priority of President Juncker‘s Commission. The Joint Communication also highlights opportunities for closer cooperation and partnership between the EU and China in the fields of foreign and security policy. The full press release is available in all EU languages. For answers to frequently asked questions on the Joint Communication, see here.