President Xi Jinping receives the Order of Leopold from King Philippe of Belgium, making him an honorary knight, at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Sunday. [Photo by Benoit Doppagne/AFP]

"President Xi's public support for the negotiations on the bilateral investment treaty will be important," said Shada Islam, policy director the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe.

"This will help increase Chinese investments in Europe while keeping the Chinese market open for European investors," Islam said.

Dennis Pamlin, founder of 21st Century Frontiers in Sweden, a consultancy company, said Xi has signaled that Europe is crucial for China.

But Pamlin said that more importantly it shows that this agreement could be part of a broader collaboration where China and the EU work together toward shared goals, such as sustainable city development low-carbon economic development, and innovative solutions for an aging population.

Contact the writer at wujiao@chinadaily.com.cn