BRUSSELS -- The investment agreement between China and the European Union will "sooner or later" be taken up again, Herman Van Rompuy, former president of the European Council, told an online forum on Thursday.

"It is a pity that the investment agreement concluded in principle between the EU and China in December 2020 is currently in the fridge. Sooner or later it has to be taken out of there," Van Rompuy said during a China-EU green summit, referring to the European Union-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment.

"It is a key element for a restart of the EU-China relationship," he added.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution in May asking China to lift sanctions on European lawmakers before the China-Europe investment deal can move forward.

China imposed penalties on "relevant EU entities and individuals who maliciously spread Xinjiang-related lies and disinformation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian commented in May.

Zhao said China is sincere in advancing China-EU relations but will staunchly safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

China and the EU completed negotiations late last year over the investment deal after years of talks.