Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has completed a tour of European nations with a final call for unity to fight the twin threats from the coronavirus pandemic to economies and health.

Everywhere he went, Wang called on his counterparts to support a multilateral system of governance to defend the safety and prosperity of the world.

His trip included visits to Rome, The Hague, Oslo, Paris and Berlin.

Italy

China's support of Italy, as the country became the first in Europe to be devastated by COVID-19, earned Beijing many supporters among the government and people. Wang promised to continue that spirit of cooperation.

"China and Italy are both countries with a responsibility for world peace and stability. Thus, we should vigorously defend multilateralism and free trade and maintain a stable global industrial supply chain," he said at a press conference. 

Wang also spoke with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

The Netherlands

Wang delivered a similar message in the Netherlands, meeting both Foreign Minister Stef Blok and Prime Minister Mark Rutte. According to a press release from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he discussed trade opportunities, fighting the pandemic and pushing back against isolationism.

Norway

In Oslo, Wang met prime minister Erna Solberg and foreign minister Ine Soreide. Soon to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Norway is well-placed to understand the importance of multilateralism. The two parties also discussed progress on a Free Trade Agreement, which Wang said he wished to advance rapidly.

France

President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian were among the French political figures on Wang's itinerary. Again, his discussion was focused around international cooperation but also included bilateral opportunities.

In a speech in Paris, Wang urged Europe to set an example, alongside China, in taking on the biggest issues facing the world including cyber security, terrorism, climate change and cross-border crime as well as the pandemic.

"China and Europe should be the models to push for global governance," he said. 

Germany

In Berlin, Wang met foreign minister Heiko Maas and discussed a range of topics. He said China was working to secure an investment treaty with the EU and hoped it would be in place by the end of the year. With protesters outside calling on the German government to take a tougher line with Beijing, Wang also urged the two sides to focus on the big issues to ensure that common goals united them, rather than allowing differences to divide them.