Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated both parties, in the current context, agreed on the importance of strengthening dialogue and cooperation, despite that relations between the legislative bodies were marked by tensions in the last few years.

The spokesman added that this decision comes after mutual consultations and reflects the common interest in relaunching institutional contact.

According to the Foreign Ministry, this channel’s reopening will allow for greater mutual understanding and facilitate the sustainable and stable development of relations between Beijing and the European Union (EU).

Lin said, “We believe and hope that, with the full recovery of China-EU legislative exchange, the dialogue and understanding between the two sides will deepen, injecting new energy into the continuous, healthy, and stable development of bilateral relations.”

The announcement comes amid this Tuesday’s celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two sides.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said recently that, “China and the EU are essential trading partners, with highly complementary economies.”

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