BEIJING – China and Europe should “unite and cooperate” against global uncertainties, Premier Li Qiang told the European Union chief on the sidelines of the annual Group of 20 summit in New Delhi.

Mr Li’s call came as the European bloc grows warier of the risks of engaging China, defined as its partner, competitor and “systemic rival” since 2019.

“Risk prevention does not preclude cooperation, interdependence should not be equated with insecurity,” Mr Li told EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mr Li urged the bloc to provide a non-discriminatory environment for Chinese firms, adding that China was willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in areas such clean energy and green finance, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

“China and the EU should further unite and cooperate, and use the stability of China-EU relations as a hedge against the uncertainty of the world situation,” it quoted Mr Li as saying.

He was attending the summit as a representative of President Xi Jinping, who did not attend.

In June, the EU adopted a strategy of “de-risking” to manage its dependence on the Asian giant, which is the world’s second-largest economy. REUTERS