On 10 November 2021, Ambassador Zhang Ming, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU sat down with Sam Fleming, Brussels Bureau Chief of the Financial Times (FT), and Andy Bounds, FT's EU correspondent, for an exclusive interview. When answering a question on the relationship between China, the EU and the US, Ambassador Zhang Ming made the following remarks.

The transatlantic partnership is the business of the European Union and the United States. China has never opposed dialogue and cooperation between the two sides. But we do hope that certain countries would not team up against others. And we also oppose such actions as to make an issue out of China, to stir up confrontation, or to pull circles targeting China, because these actions are not multilateralism in nature.

China-EU relations are highly important. Our relations have its independent values, do not target any third party, and should not become subordinates to any other party. The EU's strive for strategic autonomy is in line with its position as a global power.

Today’s world needs more than ever sincere cooperation instead of suspicion and confrontation. China, the European Union, and the United States are all global powers. We need to join efforts to combat global challenges, including the pandemic, climate change and world economic recovery. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the EU and the US in this right direction.

I find that you two are both very young, so you might not have much memory of the Cold War. People of my age spend half of their lives during the Cold War era and half of our lives after it. We understand very well what kind of harm it had brought to people around the world. That’s why we've been very resolute that we should not go back to a world of Cold War. Any responsible country should refrain from pulling small circles or stirring up confrontations among different camps. Group politics cannot help with the world’s peace and development.