A: At the first meeting of the China-EU TIC, the two sides reached consensus on the new positioning of each other as “stable and balanced key trading partners,” and preliminarily agreed to hold the second meeting this autumn.

Over the past month, we have actively implemented the outcomes and consensus reached at the fiirst meeting and made full preparations for the second meeting. On the domestic front, we have conducted intensive coordination; on the external front, we have maintained high-frequency and multi-level consultations. Recently, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič have maintained close communication through correspondence, guiding their respective teams in moving forward in an orderly manner. Vice Minister of Commerce Ling Ji held two rounds of video negotiations with Denis Redonnet, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, and exchanged information on multiple occasions to strive for a balanced resolution of each other’s concerns. The working teams of the two sides have held over 20 consultations respectively, and the four working groups have conducted in-depth and professional exchanges on each other’s economic and trade concerns.

I would like to emphasize that China is ready to maintain high-frequency communication with the EU, pull in the same direction on the basis of mutual respect, explore practical and feasible solutions to each other’s concerns in the economic and trade field, promote upward balancing and progress in China-EU trade, and maintain the stability and balance of the China-EU key trading partnership.