On March 27, 2024, President Xi Jinping met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who was paying a working visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
On March 27, 2024, Xi Jinping met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Photo by Zhang Jianzhong, Xinhua News Agency)
President Xi noted that in recent years, China-Netherlands relations have developed steadily and rapidly, with cooperation in various fields continuously deepening. China is willing to expand imports of high-quality Dutch goods and welcomes Dutch enterprises to invest in China. He also expressed hope that the Netherlands will provide a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese enterprises. The two sides should actively advance traditional cooperation in fields such as agriculture, water management, and energy, while exploring potential collaboration in areas like artificial intelligence, green transformation, and the silver economy.
President Xi emphasized that while economic globalization may face headwinds, the historical trend will not change. openness and cooperation are the only choices. China firmly believes that a truly secure world should be one of deep integration and interdependence. Artificially creating technological barriers and severing industrial and supply chains will only lead to division and confrontation.China will persist in pursuing a win-win approach, continuously expand high-level opening-up, and share development dividends with all parties. China’s policy toward Europe remains consistent and stable, considering Europe as an important role and partner in a multipolar world.
He expressed hope that the Netherlands would continue to play a positive role in promoting mutual understanding and the development of constructive relations between China and Europe.
Prime Minister Rutte remarked that since his first visit to China as Prime Minister in 2013, and especially after jointly announcing the establishment of an open and pragmatic comprehensive partnership between the Netherlands and China with President Xi in 2014, the bilateral relationship has maintained sound development. Trade volume has doubled, and there is tremendous potential and prospects for bilateral cooperation. He stated that “decoupling and breaking the chain” is not an option for the Dutch government, as any action harming China’s development interests would also hurt its own interests.
Rutte expressed gratitude for China’s decision to offer a 15-day visa-free entry policy for Dutch citizens. He emphasized that the Netherlands values its friendly relations with China and is willing to continue deepening the partnership, facilitating personnel exchanges, and enhancing cooperation in fields such as trade and carbon emission reduction.
Source：people.cn