After a successful visit to Italy, the only European country which had specifically joined the BRI, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi continued his European foray with a visit to the Netherlands, where he held a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and a separate meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok. In his meeting with Rutte, Wang said that China and the Netherlands enjoy a bilateral relationship on the basis of mutual respect, mutual understanding, openness and trust. As the coronavirus pandemic is normalized in both countries, China is willing to work with the Dutch government to resume the flow of goods and people so as to make their contribution to global economic recovery, Wang said. And faced with the rising challenge of unilateralism, China would like to work with the Dutch side to defend multilateralism and free trade and build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.
Rutte said the Netherlands values the ties with China and is willing to expand cooperation in different areas. He praised China’s efforts in fighting against COVID-19, saying the Dutch side is willing to work with China in respective areas. Speaking of the China-U.S. tension, Rutte said the EU, China and the U.S. should seek to strengthen communication instead of isolation, and the decoupling rhetoric does not fit any party’s interest. He also told Wang that Amsterdam is ready to start open and honest talks with Beijing on different issues to increase mutual understanding and friendship.
In his meeting with Foreign Minister Blok, Wang said that China is looking forward to advancing ties in fields ranging from agriculture to the aerospace industry and education. He also called on the Netherlands to provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory environment to Chinese companies. Speaking of the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang said China is ready to work with the Dutch to build a maritime “fast track,” linking ports in China and the Netherlands.
Wang will now proceed to Norway, after which he will visit Germany and France. This tour is taking place at the same time that Germany, France, the U.K. and Belgium stood up against Pompeo on the Iran snapback in the UNSC. The Europeans are now generally adding a rejection of Pompeo’s anti-China dictates at the same time.
