PARIS - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed the growing convergence between Beijing and the European Union on global issues from climate change to trade, urging the two sides to overcome their "suspicions." "Of course there are differences and competition, but it's positive competition," Xi told a joint press conference. Merkel sounded a note of caution about how much the EU and China could achieve on their own, however. -Though the leaders emphasised multiple areas where China, France and the EU would work together, there remain underlying tensions in the relationship -- the source of the "suspicions" that Xi referred to. "China will always back European integration and its development," he added in a statement to the press.

Source: Bangkok Post March 26, 2019 13:41 UTC