Premier Li Qiang called on Wednesday for China and the Netherlands to seek shared development through open and pragmatic cooperation amid the impact of growing unilateralism and protectionism on the global economy, saying that strengthening the partnership will serve their common interests.

He made the remarks in a phone conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

Li said that since the two countries established an open and pragmatic partnership of comprehensive cooperation 10 years ago, bilateral relations and cooperation have continued to deepen through joint efforts. He noted that openness and pragmatism remain the defining features of Sino-Dutch relations, delivering tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

Currently, the international situation is marked by growing instability, as unilateralism and protectionism are exerting huge pressure on the global economy, Li said. Under such circumstances, it is even more important for the two countries to promote cooperation through openness and achieve win-win outcomes through pragmatism, he said.

The premier expressed China's willingness to work with the Netherlands to consolidate political mutual trust, uphold mutual respect and equal dialogue, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. Li noted that with the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), China's economic output is expected to reach new heights in the next five years, providing more room for both sides to deepen economic and trade cooperation.

China is willing to strengthen alignment with the Netherlands at all levels, better leverage the role of dialogue mechanisms in areas such as economy, trade, science and technology, and further explore cooperation potential in sectors such as green development and innovation, Li said.

Noting that the Netherlands has long been an important gateway for China-Europe cooperation and a core member of the European Union, Li expressed hope that the Netherlands will play an active role in encouraging relevant institutions to view China-EU relations and cooperation in an objective and rational manner, and work with China to properly address differences and issues through dialogue and consultation.

Jetten, who assumed office in February, said that China is an important trading partner for the Netherlands, and the relationship with China is one of the most important bilateral relationships for his country.

The new Dutch government places great importance on ties with China and is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges, promote mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as trade, innovation and climate response, jointly address global challenges, and safeguard common interests, he said. Noting that next year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations between the two countries, Jetten said the Netherlands is willing to work with China to continuously advance their open and pragmatic partnership of comprehensive cooperation.

The phone talks indicate that the new Dutch government is willing to deepen mutual trust and promote normal economic and trade relations with China, analysts said.

Bilateral relations were strained in October after the previous Dutch government intervened in the operations of Nexperia, a chip company owned by China's Wingtech Technology.

This was the second high-level interaction between the two countries in about two weeks. On March 13, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on the latter's request.