BEIJING, Jan. 12 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib jointly inaugurated the new Belgian embassy in Beijing on Thursday. The ceremony was also attended by visiting Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, extended his congratulations on behalf of the Chinese government for the opening of the new embassy.

He pointed out that in Chinese culture, a new residence brings a new atmosphere, which is also what China expects from China-Belgium and China-Europe relations. It is hoped that the Belgian Embassy to China will continue to play its role as a bridge and make new contributions to enhancing mutual understanding, expanding exchanges and deepening cooperation between China and Belgium and the EU.

In De Croo and Lahbib's speeches, they said that the opening of the new Belgian embassy reflects the sincere will of Belgium to deepen relations with China. Belgium is willing to take the rotating presidency of the EU as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China in various fields.