BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson reaffirmed Thursday that the Belt and Road Initiative "seeks mutual benefits and common development."

The Handelsblatt business daily said that ambassadors of some EU countries to China supported a report against the Belt and Road Initiative that denounced the initiative and said it hindered free trade.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the EU had made clear that the Handelsblatt report was inaccurate.

Hua said leaders of most EU countries expressed interest in participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"During French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China, he called on all European countries to actively take part in the initiative, while British Prime Minister Theresa May hoped Britain and China could carry out cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative in order to promote global and regional economic development," Hua said.

She stressed the Belt and Road Initiative followed market rules, and strove for high-quality and sustainable development.

Hua said it was an important part of the initiative to promote trade liberalization and trade facilitation.

She added that many trade barriers exist in the world, but none of them are created by the Belt and Road Initiative.