China-EU Relations: A Strategic Partnership for the Future

Strategic Insights -

China and the European Union have shared a relationship for the past 50 years, with a significant impact on global development and the international landscape. The two sides have made important contributions to promoting world peace and development through cooperation in various areas, including the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. China-EU economic and trade cooperation is based on mutual benefit and win-win results, with a trade volume growing from $2.4 billion to $785.8 billion.

Key Takeaways:

  • China and the EU have become comprehensive strategic partners with highly integrated interests, and have established an all-round cooperation pattern led by leaders' meetings and supported by high-level dialogues in the fields of strategy, economy, and trade.
  • China-EU cooperation outweighs competition, and consensus outweighs differences, with no fundamental conflicting interests or geopolitical contradictions.
  • The two sides have no intention of engaging in ideological confrontation with any country, and China advocates the common values of "peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom" for all mankind.
  • China is willing to work with the EU to promote the balanced development of China-EU economic and trade relations, and to oppose all forms of protectionism and economic bullying.
  • The EU has stepped up its efforts to promote "de-risking" and "rebalancing" economic and trade relations with China, but China is willing to cooperate with the EU to shoulder the responsibilities of the times.
  • China and the EU should pursue multilateralism rather than unilateralism and become fellow travelers in global governance, striving to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world.
  • The two sides should be tolerant rather than exclusive, and be good friends who learn from each other, with a history of mutual learning between Chinese and European civilizations.
  • China has implemented unilateral visa exemptions for 32 European countries and has seen increased bilateral personnel exchanges between China and Europe, exceeding 9.7 million last year.

Statistics:

  • Trade volume: $2.4 billion (initially) to $785.8 billion (annual)
  • Mutual investment stock: from almost zero to nearly $260 billion
  • Number of bilateral personnel exchanges between China and Europe: exceeded 9.7 million last year
  • China has implemented unilateral visa exemptions for 32 European countries

Sources:

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
  • Lu Fangqing's signed article titled "Standing together through thick and thin, moving forward hand in hand, and jointly writing a new chapter in the China-EU relations" in the Montenegrin newspaper Victory
  • Official Press Release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China