This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the EU. The new China-EU Summit to be held in Beijing on July 24, 2025 has attracted much attention. In 1975, visionary leaders from both sides, assessing the global situation with extraordinary political courage, broke through Cold War barriers and established diplomatic ties between the two sides, which was a major event in international relations at that time. Over the past 50 years, China-EU relations have weathered many storms and overcome numerous obstacles. Only by comprehensively reviewing the path the two sides have travelled can they correctly chart the course ahead.
Remarkable Achievements between China-EU Cooperation. Over the past 50 years, China and the EU have formed strong economic interdependence. As each other’s major trading partner and investment destination, China and the EU have seen their trade volume surge from US $2.4 billion at the time when the two sides first established diplomatic ties to US $785.8 billion in 2024, while two-way investment stock has risen from nearly zero to approximately US $260 billion. The China-Europe Railway Express, operating over 100,000 trains connecting 227 cities across 25 European countries, has become an artery connecting Asia and Europe. The implementation of the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement has seen the second batch of products, 175 products respectively from each side protected by the program, bringing more premium goods to both markets.
Fruitful collaboration extends to finance, taxation, customs, transportation, water resources, press and publishing, healthcare, and judicial affairs. Steady progress has been made in emerging fields, like the digital economy, new energy, and artificial intelligence. People-to-people bonds grow ever stronger. Joint initiatives, such as the China-EU Culture Year and Tourism Year events, have flourished. China has launched unilateral visa-free policy covering 24 EU member states. From giant pandas and the Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha to the video game “Black Myth: Wukong”, Chinese culture is increasingly captivating European audiences, forging heart-to-heart connections between people on both sides. This cooperation has not only delivered tangible benefits to nearly two billion people of both sides but also made important contributions to world stability and prosperity.
China-EU Are Partners Not Rivals. China and the EU, sitting at the opposite ends of the Eurasian continent, have no fundamental clash of interests or geopolitical conflicts. The consensus and cooperation far outweigh differences and competition. They are partners, not rivals, and certainly not enemies. The two sides should properly handle differences through communication within this framework. Today's Europe faces various challenges, but which have not come from China in the past, present, or future.
China's diplomacy bears the harmonious gene of the Chinese civilization and advocates for peace, inclusiveness and cooperation. Although the historical and cultural backgrounds and values between China and the EU differ, these should not be reasons to turn into adversaries, nor should disagreements lead to confrontation. In face of rising uncertainties and instabilities in the international arena, China and the EU, as two major forces and economies, should step up exchanges, deepen understanding, enhance mutual trust and advance cooperation, jointly uphold the post-war international order, provide much-needed certainty to the world, and make new contributions to human civilization.
Future Outlook for China-EU Relations. There are many important programs on the agenda between China and the EU this year. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are welcome to jointly pay a trip to China at appropriate time for a new round of China-EU Summit. Both sides will hold high-level dialogues and witness a series of events in such areas as economy and trade, culture, youth, sports and academy.
The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. In a world full of changes and turbulence, China-EU relations carry more strategic significance and global impact. China is ready to work with the EU to seize opportunities, tackle challenges, and ensure the sound and steady development of their comprehensive strategic partnership. First, it is important to further strengthen high-level exchanges. Second, it is important to deepen practical cooperation. Third, it is important to enhance coordination on major international and regional issues. China hopes that the EU will work with China to stay true to the aspiration of diplomatic relations, remain as each other's partners, step up dialogue and cooperation, properly handle divergences and differences, build on past achievements and forge ahead in bilateral relations, and tell the world more wonderful and successful stories of cooperation between China and the EU.
Mr. Zhang Kaibin, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Willemstad
