BRUSSELS — Visiting Vice-Premier Ma Kai said here on Oct 19 that the foreign investment environment in China will “continue getting better.”

Ma made the remarks while addressing business leaders from both the European Union (EU) and China in Brussels at a meeting attended by European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen.

China has made great strides in recent years in implementing its reform and opening-up policies, and “the gate of China will open wider” in the coming years, said Ma.

“We will not slow down the pace of reform but accelerate it, and the acceleration process would be gradual,” said the vice-premier.

He stressed that foreign investment environment in China will “continue getting better” instead of becoming worse.

Some problems can only be regarded as “growing pains” or “individual cases on the way forward,” he added.

“When we look at China-EU cooperation, we should focus on the overall picture, not individual cases,” Ma said.

He expressed confidence in the future of EU-China investment and trade cooperation, saying that China welcomes more European enterprises to invest in it.

The vice-premier also urged Chinese enterprises in Europe to adhere to the principle of mutual benefit, abide by local laws and fulfill their social obligations.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the China-EU strategic relations, Ma said, adding that the two sides made much progress in many areas during the just-concluded Sixth China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue.

Both sides agreed to continue exploring synergies between the Investment Plan for Europe and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

They also made progress on the EU-China Connectivity Platform, especially the identification of a list of pilot projects.

The two sides have decided to push forward negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement between the EU and China.

“The progress will help create better conditions for deepening the cooperation between Chinese and European enterprises,” the vice-premier said.