President Xi Jinping called on Thursday for China and the European Union, both important players in the international community, to keep their bilateral relationship growing in the right direction, and work together to usher it into an even brighter next 50 years.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who are in China for the 25th China-EU Summit.

The summit coincides with the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties. Xi said that over the past 50 years, China and the EU have achieved fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation, delivering mutual success and worldwide benefits.

An important understanding and insight is that the two sides should respect each other, seek common ground while shelving differences, uphold openness and cooperation, and pursue mutual benefit, he said, adding these are also important principles and the right direction for China-EU relations in the future.

Xi emphasized that faced with accelerating global transformation not seen in a century and a changing and turbulent world, Chinese and EU leaders should once again demonstrate vision and leadership, and make the right strategic choices that will meet people's expectations and stand the scrutiny of history.

It is important for China and the EU, both constructive forces for multilateralism and openness and cooperation, to strengthen communication, enhance trust and deepen cooperation in a more challenging and complex international situation, in order to provide more stability and certainty for the world through steady and sound China-EU relations, he said.