On January 25, 2024, Ambassador Fu Cong met with Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth of the European Commission. They had friendly exchanges of views on China-EU people-to-people exchanges as well as science, technology and innovation cooperation.

Ambassador Fu said that China and Europe are two major civilizations, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges have global significance and influence. China stands ready to closely cooperate with the EU, deepen dialogues, and explore new ways of such exchanges to broaden areas of cooperation and promote the movement of personnel between the two sides, thus advancing the healthy development of bilateral relations. The 6th China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue, which will be held this year, will provide an opportunity for the two sides to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people connections, in order to create a more solid public foundation for a long-term and stable growth of China-EU relations.

Ambassador Fu emphasized that science, technology and innovation cooperation is a crucial part of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. China and EU should work in the same direction and jointly support the practical cooperation between the research personnel of the two sides for closer technological and people-to-people exchanges, and for benefiting the whole humanity.

Commissioner Iliana Ivanova said that she looks forward to the 6th China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue, and noted that the EU is ready to promote sincere dialogue and close communication with China on areas of shared interest, and  actively address problems that arise in bilateral cooperation, so as to achieve steady progress in people-to-people exchanges.