BRUSSELS — China and the European Union (EU) should enhance synergy of their respective strengths and spare no efforts to advance cooperation, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said in a speech in Brussels on the evening of Dec 16.

Speaking at an event hosted by the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think tank, Wang said China is building an open economy, and welcomes European countries "to seize the opportunities to scale up investment in China and explore this huge market of 1.4 billion people."

"We also hope that the EU will stick to the principles of market economy and create a level playing field for Chinese enterprises, not least by upholding fairness and justice and making a well-informed and independent judgment on 5G issues," Wang said.

The dovetailing of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's strategy to connect Europe and Asia will break new ground and unlock new potential for cooperation, Wang said.

China and the EU should be green partners, as the European Commission has launched its "European Green Deal", and China is gearing up to advance its ecosystem conservation, Wand said.

Green growth, circular economy and renewable energy can well be new growth areas of China-Europe cooperation, he said.

China and the EU should be partners for digital development, Wang said. "We have respective strengths in high technology, digital economy and the new generation of information technology. Much can be done if we combine our strengths and work together on smart cities, AI, data security and technological rules and standards."

China and the EU also should be partners for free trade, Wang said. "Apart from a high-quality investment agreement, we should work for an early start of negotiations on a free trade agreement, or at least the launch of feasibility studies on that front," he added.