From Oct. 11 to 12, 2011, Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying had consultations with EU officials in Brussels. On the morning of Oct. 12, Fu Ying held a breakfast session with foreign media including New Europe, Europa Newsletter, Parliament Magazine, EU News, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters and journalists of domestic media based in Europe. During the session, she exchanged views with the journalists on a wide range of topics including China-EU Summit, China-EU relations and other topics interesting to the journalists.

Fu said that the Fourteenth China-EU Summit will be held in China later this month. Since its inception in 1998, this mechanism has played an important role of increasing mutual understanding, promoting exchanges and dialogues, and advancing China-EU comprehensive cooperation. In 2003, the two sides established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Driven by the China-EU Summit, the two sides have established more than 60 mechanisms and frameworks over the years. The trade and investment scales continued to expand. In the context that Europe is facing the sovereign debt crisis and slow economic recovery, this summit has significant implications for the two sides to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly cope with challenges.

Fu Ying said that China appreciates the firm political will and the tireless efforts of the EU leaders, member states and people to overcome the crisis. China has repeatedly expressed its willingness to support the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to actively respond to the crisis and has taken concrete measures such as actively promoting bilateral trade and investment and not reducing euro-bond holding. Of course, Europe's problems fundamentally depend on the Europeans. The key to practical problems can often be found from history. Europe had gone through more difficult times than this crisis and has also accumulated experiences and lessons. This time, Europe is also able to get out of the plight. What's important is unity and solidarity. China and the international community will support the European Union, the euro zone and the relevant countries to take effective measures to overcome the crisis.

Fu Ying said that China and EU do not have a relationship without problems. When Europe started to engage with China, there have always been two opposite forces. Some Europeans recognized the achievements of China's economic and social development and wanted to get help from China, but frequently criticized China's political system. Some Europeans from time to time tried to politicize economic and trade issues. On one hand, they had high expectations for expanding trade and investment cooperation with China; on the other hand, they expressed their concerns with the investment from China, which has affected the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation. The west has long been the center of production and consumption in the world. International investment was mainly between developed nations and from developed nations to developing nations. But with the accelerated development of emerging economies, there will be more and more reverse investment from developing nations to developed nations. European nations should overcome psychological barriers, adapt to new international realities, discard old concepts, and accept a diversified world. Europe should take a more open attitude to welcome the investment from developing countries including the investment from China and provide active help for such investment for is beneficial to both sides.

Fu Ying said that China recently published the White Paper on Peaceful Development, in which China has once again reaffirmed its commitments to peaceful development. With respect to China's relations with Europe, the message delivered by China is "mutual respect, mutual opening and mutual help". In this regard, the upcoming summit is worth expecting.