Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China is willing to work with the European Union (EU) to promote steady progress in China-EU relations in the new year.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in Beijing on Friday.
De Croo arrived in China on Thursday and attended the inauguration of the new Belgian embassy in Beijing on the same day.
Both China and Belgium benefit from economic globalization and share a common interest in resisting protectionism and safeguarding free trade, Xi said.
He welcomed Belgian companies to invest and do business in China and said China will provide a sound business environment for them. It is hoped that Belgium will also provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, Xi added.
Xi urged the two sides to further collaborate in traditional areas such as transportation logistics and biopharmaceuticals, and foster new growth drivers for green development and digital economy cooperation.