Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) meets with European Council President Donald Tusk (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who are here to attend the 20th China-EU leaders' meeting, in Beijing, capital of China, July 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday, calling for closer partnership between China and the European Union (EU).

"China and the EU are both builders of world peace, contributors to global development and defenders of the international order," Xi said when meeting with Tusk and Juncker at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.