BEIJING -- To encourage and support people from Sweden to travel to and experience the real China, China stands ready to implement a visa-free travel policy for Swedish nationals to further promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard.

China also hopes that Sweden will play a constructive role in promoting the healthy development of China-EU relations, Wang said.

Wang noted that Sweden is an important country in the European Union (EU) and was the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, adding that the two countries should uphold their positioning as partners rather than rivals, and adhere to the principle of cooperation outweighing differences.

Wang expressed China's hope that Sweden will view and develop China-Sweden relations through independent strategic thinking and a long-term perspective.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden, Wang called on the two sides to implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state, and make good use of institutional dialogue in the fields of economy and trade. He urged the two sides to deepen their communication and coordination on multilateral affairs, and to expand practical cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, sci-tech innovation, the digital economy, green development, and life and health. He also said that China and Sweden should work together to bring bilateral relations back onto the right track, and continuously promote the healthy and steady development of the relations.

Stenergard said she is pleased to be the first Swedish foreign minister to visit China in 16 years, noting that Sweden attaches great importance to its relations with China, and that it adheres to the one-China policy.

She said that Sweden is willing to build a mutually beneficial, balanced economic and trade relationship with China. It is also ready to strengthen cooperation in fields such as trade and investment, sci-tech innovation and green transition, and to deepen cooperation in areas such as education, people-to-people exchange and cultural exchange.

She thanked China for implementing its visa-free travel policy for Sweden, expressing her belief that the policy will effectively encourage more Swedish people to travel to China.

Sweden values the important role China plays in international affairs, Stenergard said, and she congratulates China on its successful hosting of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women. Sweden also appreciates China's announcement of a new round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to address climate change, she added.

She stressed that Sweden firmly supports an open, free trade system, and advocates strengthened dialogue and cooperation.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, as well as other international and regional issues.