9 April 2019: The leaders of the European Council, the European Commission and China reaffirmed their resolve to work together for peace, prosperity and sustainable development and their commitment to multilateralism at the 21st EU-China Summit. In a joint statement, the EU and China express their commitment to tackle global environmental challenges and strengthen cooperation within the framework of their ongoing bilateral dialogues.

The EU and China underline their “strong commitment to implement the Paris Agreement and the Montreal Protocol” and to intensify their cooperation on the basis of the 2018 joint Leaders’ Statement on Climate Change and Clean Energy, recognizing fossil fuel subsidy reform and carbon pricing as key steps. The two sides agree to reinforce cooperation on green finance to harness private capital flows towards a more environmentally sustainable economy and to work towards a successful Climate Action Summit in September 2019 and a successful outcome of the SDGs. The EU and China will also implement the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Circular Economy’ cooperation.

The EU and China reaffirm their respect for international law and norms governing international relations, with the UN at its core.

On global environmental challenges, the EU and China state their willingness to deepen cooperation on a number of issues, including halting biodiversity loss, combating illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products, combating illegal logging and associated trade, and tackling desertification and land degradation and promoting sustainable forest management (SFM). The EU and China state their intent to work together to realize a post-2020 global biodiversity framework at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held in Kunming, China, in 2020. The EU and China reaffirm their commitment to implement the Blue Partnership for the Oceans, including through tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and by establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Antarctic Ocean. Both sides endorse the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles on sustainable investment in the oceans.

On the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the EU welcomes the ongoing consultations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, which aim to conclude an effective Code of Conduct for the South China Sea. In the statement, China and the EU call upon all relevant parties to engage in dialogue, settle disputes peacefully and “refrain from actions likely to increase tensions.”

On global challenges and governance, the EU and China reaffirm their respect for international law and norms governing international relations, with the “UN at its core.” The EU and China commit to uphold the three pillars of the UN system, the UN Charter and international law. The two sides support the rules-based multilateral trading system based on the World Trade Organization (WTO), and reaffirm their commitment to cooperate on WTO reform to address global trade challenges. The EU and China reaffirm their support for the Group of 20 (G20) and to work towards a positive and results-oriented G20 Osaka Summit.

The EU and China statement addresses a number of other issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations and foreign and security policy. To expand and deepen exchanges and cooperation beyond 2020, the EU and China agree to adopt a new cooperation agenda by the next EU-China Summit.

The 21st EU-China Summit convened on 9 April in Brussels, Belgium. European Council President, Donald Tusk, European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Premier of the State Council of China, Li Keqiang, participated in the Summit. [EU Press Release] [EU-China Summit Joint Statement]