Munich: Speaking on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in southern Germany, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault, urging stronger engagement across political and economic sectors.

According to a statement from his office, Wang stressed that China and Europe are partners whose relationship should be built on mutual trust and shared interests. “The two sides are partners. Interdependence does not pose a risk, convergence of interests does not pose a threat, and open cooperation will not harm security,” he said.

Wang further emphasized that “China’s development represents an opportunity for Europe,” adding that the economic and political difficulties facing European countries do not stem from Beijing.

His remarks come at a time when Brussels is seeking to rebalance its strategic dependencies, working to reduce reliance on both China and the United States while strengthening internal resilience. In this context, Wang sought to portray China as a stable and dependable economic partner for the European Union.

Expressing hope for stronger ties, Wang said he expected Europe to adopt what he described as a “positive policy” toward China, signaling Beijing’s interest in maintaining constructive engagement despite evolving geopolitical tensions.

On the sidelines of the conference, Wang also held separate talks with German officials and British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, where he described economic and trade cooperation as “the cornerstone of China-Germany relations.” He added that Beijing and London should “explore the potential for enhanced cooperation,” underscoring China’s intent to deepen bilateral ties with key European powers.