EU wants good relations with China to avoid misunderstanding

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday (6 May) that the European Union wants good relations with Beijing to avoid misunderstanding and solve global challenges, taking into account China's "global weight."

"The European Union and China want good relations and, given the global weight of China, our engagement is key to ensure mutual respect to avoid misunderstanding and to find solutions to global challenges," von der Leyen said during the trilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Paris.

She added that China was important for the EU to tackle major global challenges, with both sharing interest in peace and security.

Xi is on a visit to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5–10 at the invitation of the European leaders. His first trip to Europe in nearly five years comes as the European Union continues piling pressure on Beijing over its support and cooperation with Russia. On Sunday, he arrived in France, where he will stay until Wednesday.