On 24 May 2023, online political consultations were held between Latvia and China. The consultations were co-chaired by State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, Andris Pelšs, and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Deng Li.
The officials discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international matters. The participants held the same view that it was essential to maintain a regular political dialogue, even if the views of Latvia and China differ significantly on several issues. Latvia agrees with the EU’s common position according to which China is regarded as a cooperation partner in dealing with global issues, an economic competitor and a systemic rival.
The State Secretary emphasized Latvia’s interests in developing more balanced economic relations with China, with particular attention being paid to opportunities for the export of Latvian goods. Likewise, Andris Pelšs underlined the need to address, in the framework of the EU-China trade dialogue, the issue of reciprocity in access to China’s market.
In a conversation with China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs drew special attention to the Russian aggression against Ukraine and called on China to exercise its influence as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in order to put an end to that aggression. He also urged against giving any assistance to Russia – neither in the military sector nor in the circumvention of sanctions.
The previous political consultations between Latvia and China took place in 2021.