President Xi stresses China-EU cooperation

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping met with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker here Sunday, calling for deepening cooperation between China and the European Union (EU).

Xi said that China and the EU, the largest developing country and the largest bloc of developed economies, respectively, are both advocators of a multi-polar world and seekers of sustainable development.

"We hope that the EU can find more opportunities in China's modernization and urbanization process," Xi told Juncker on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in Brisbane.

Recalling his Europe tour in spring, the Chinese president said that he has reached important consensus with European leaders on building a China-EU partnership of peace, growth, reform and civilization.

The two sides should bear in mind the general direction of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and properly implement the China-EU 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation, Xi said.

"We should also strengthen coordination on the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change, international trade negotiation and other affairs, actively explore third-party cooperation, and deepen our cooperation within the framework of G20," Xi added.

For his part, Juncker said that China is blessed with bright prospects for development and he will commit himself to pushing for stronger cooperation between the EU and China.

As 2015 marks 40 years of EU-China diplomatic relations, Juncker said, the two sides should take this opportunity to demonstrate the fruitful results and broad prospects of the EU-China cooperation.

The EU hopes that the negotiations for an EU-China investment agreement can be concluded at an early date, and the EU welcomes China's recent publication of targets in cutting carbon emissions, he said.

Xi arrived here Friday to attend this year's G20 summit slated for Nov. 15-16. After the summit, Xi will go to Canberra to pay a state visit to Australia.