Photo taken on May 23, 2025 shows European Union flags at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

　　Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) should pursue "friendly competition" with China rather than treat the country as an enemy and put up barriers.

　　BRATISLAVA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) should pursue "friendly competition" with China rather than treat the country as an enemy and put up barriers.

　　Fico made the remarks after talks in Bratislava with European Council President Antonio Costa, who began his annual tour of EU capitals in Slovakia. Their discussions covered the EU's next long-term budget, competitiveness, energy prices and enlargement.

　　Fico said Slovakia was concerned about the EU's ability to compete globally, arguing that greater competitiveness should not mean imposing new tariffs or barriers, but rather striving to do better and outperform others.

　　"I have a different view about relations between the EU and China. I don't think we should fight China by putting up barriers and treating it as an enemy," Fico said. "China is a country with which we should compete in a friendly spirit and strive to do better."

　　This file photo taken on March 22, 2024 shows Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attending the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)