BRUSSELS - Participants at a high-level political forum between China and Europe in Brussels said Tuesday the two trading partners need to seek new approaches to future cooperation.

Representatives of the Communist Party of China (CPC) meet European officials at the three-day China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum, which kicked off Nov 7. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Citing the EU's latest statistics, participants said despite positive signs such as the increase in trading volume between China and the European Union in July that surpassed the United States for the first time, and the EU becoming China's largest trading partner, China and Europe still face challenges, with understanding each other being the biggest task.

Wang Jiarui, minister of the International Department of the CPC, began his keynote speech by quoting two perceptions of China that exist in Europe. He said one puts an emphasis only on China's problems, citing its large consumption of energy and resources, imbalanced social development between rural and urban areas and an incomplete legal system. The other, on the contrary, believes China is no longer a developing country, as it is getting "tougher" in its diplomacy and therefore presents a threat to European countries.

"I think both perceptions are inaccurate," Wang said. "China is still a developing country and lags behind Europe in many aspects of development. Only when this is recognized can China be perceived more objectively."

Wang Jiarui, minister of the International Department of the CPC, at the three-day China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum, which kicked off Nov 7. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Martin Schulz, president of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D), said the world has been transformed from a "bi-polar" system, referring to that of the Cold War, to a "multi-polar" system, with many rising powers and existing powers inter-linked with each other. A crisis for EU is a crisis for China, Schulz said.

"Don't think of confrontation," Schulz said. "Think of cooperation."

Titled Europe-China Cooperation, this is the first of three panels at the forum. The other two will be Sharing Experience and Global Governance, according to the CPC's International Department.