China supports a united, prosperous and integrated European Union and wants more free trade and co-operation on global economic recovery, fighting terrorism and Brexit, the country’s premier, Li Keqiang, has said.

Mr Li made his remarks after meeting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Bejing.

China is keen to maintain close ties with the EU since the election of Donald Trump as US president, amid fears that he could still impose trade restrictions on China despite co-operation between the two on the North Korean nuclear standoff.

“China is willing to work with the EU in the spirit of mutual respect and treating each other as equals to advance bilateral investment treaty talks and the feasibility study of the free trade agreement,” Mr Li said.

Ms Mogherini was in the Chinese capital to chair the seventh EU-China Strategic Dialogue.

“China will work with the EU to handle differences properly and to better the China-EU relations within the rule-based international order and contribute vitality to world economic growth,” Mr Li said.

The agenda for the one-day talks included co-operation on regional and security issues and climate change, which come ahead of an EU-China summit scheduled for Brussels in June.

Globalised economy

While the message was largely positive, there are areas of disagreement, including regular complaints by European companies that Beijing blocks them from buying Chinese assets, as well as difficulties in telecoms, information technology and finance.

President Xi Jinping has gone public on his backing for a globalised economy and more free trade, in sharp contrast to Mr Trump.

Ms Mogherini said Mr Xi’s speeches “have raised high expectations that China and the European Union can work together on multilateralism, on rules-based global order” and trade.

She said the EU was focused on intensifying co-operation with China, and that China and Europe had “a big responsibility” during “times of uncertainty”.

“Not only our people, but probably the multilateral system, need Europe and China to work together on some of the major global issues we are facing, from climate change to migration or counterterrorism, and also the many crises we have around us such as the tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” she said ahead of a meeting at the Chinese leadership compound Zhongnanhai in downtown Beijing.

Ms Mogherini also met state councillor Yang Jiechi, China’s highest-ranking diplomat, who said the international situation presented many challenges and problems.

Her planned meeting with foreign minister Wang Yi was cancelled as Ms Mogherini was feeling unwell.