China and EU prepare for second trade and investment consultation mechanism meeting

China has been actively working to implement the consensus reached at the inaugural meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism and stepping up preparations for the mechanism's second meeting this autumn, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

He Yadong, a spokesman for the ministry, told a news conference in Beijing that China is ready to work with the European Union to explore practical and feasible solutions to each other's economic and trade concerns.

The two sides held the inaugural meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism last month, where they agreed that China and the EU are each other's stable and balanced key trading partners.

They also tentatively agreed to hold the mechanism's second meeting this autumn.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations, and Transparency Maros Sefcovic have remained in close contact through exchanges of letters and other channels, guiding their respective teams in advancing the work in an orderly manner, He said.

Working teams from the two sides have since held more than 20 rounds of consultations, with in-depth and professional exchanges conducted under four workstreams on their respective economic and trade concerns, he added.

"China is ready to maintain frequent communication with the EU, uphold mutual respect, and work in the same direction," He said.

The aim is to promote more bilateral trade balance and expansion to maintain a stable and balanced key trading partnership, He added.