AsianFin -- China is prepared to deepen cooperation with the European Central Bank (ECB), including in areas related to reforming the international monetary system, Premier Li Qiang told ECB President Christine Lagarde during a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.

Lagarde’s visit comes at a time of heightened global trade tensions, with both China and the European Union facing increased pressure following the United States’ sweeping tariff measures under U.S. President Donald Trump. Her trip marks a rare high-level engagement between Beijing and the eurozone’s top monetary authority.