EU: 'We now must get down to business'

EU-China trade and investment are not the entirety of our relationship, even though it sometimes looks that way in the media. But trade and investment are nonetheless vital to the relationship, and their importance goes beyond the sheer weight of the numbers.

The EU has an undeniable stake in China's development and the economic changes it is undergoing. China is currently moving from a somewhat breathless export-driven growth model to a more balanced and sustainable one where it can better curb inflation, protect its environment and ensure the welfare of all its citizens.

Europe wants China to remain a successful part of the global system, playing a central role on the world stage. If we want to work together we need to be able to iron out our differences and build on our irreversible interdependence.