An online summit of the 17+1 format, chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping, was held today 9 February. Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets represented Estonia.
The summit looked at what has been done so far under the cooperation format and set the agenda for the next period. Representatives of all countries were invited to make a short statement.
In her speech, Foreign Minister Liimets highlighted the importance of dialogue in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. States should also coordinate pandemic-related activities with each other and the measures taken to fight the pandemic must be in full compliance with international law and respect universal human rights.
“The environment is a crucial issue for us and all cooperation formats should therefore focus on meeting climate targets. We hope that China can meet its aim of achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, as stated at the UN General Assembly,” the minister added. She welcomed the recent progress made with the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment and highlighted the urgency of concluding an investment protection agreement as the next step.
The summit confirmed the list of events of the 17+1 format planned for 2021; the events are open to participation on a voluntary basis. Participants named 2021 the Year of Green Development and Environmental Protection, with efforts focusing on increased cooperation to meet the objectives set in this field.
The 17+1 format was launched by the People’s Republic of China and, in addition to China, includes Central and Eastern European Countries. Estonia has participated in the summits of the format since 2012. The informal format was established to advance economic cooperation and has also contributed to bilateral relations with China.
Additional information:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Communication Department
