China and the European Union (EU) are among the world’s largest economies and are key forces in addressing global challenges. Over the past decades, the two partners have carried out fruitful cooperation in dimensions. These achievements have brought concrete benefits to the Chinese and Europeans. other people and have contributed to global peace and prosperity.
Successful cooperation
Chinese and European leaders fully recognize the wonderful importance of their appointments and have established a series of discussion mechanisms. As the China-EU summit is the main discussion mechanism, there are five other high-level mechanisms in the fields of strategy, economy and trade, environment and climate, virtual generation and people-to-people exchanges. Following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, political exchanges between China and Europe temporarily resumed. In 2023, the 24th China-EU Summit was held, and the leaders of France, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, Serbia, Greece and many others visited China.
China and the EU are key industrial and investment partners of other countries. The explicit China-EU railway that runs between China and Europe is a vital industrial network connecting 223 cities in 25 European countries.
Local actors have proactively contributed to China-EU cooperation. Take the example of Fujian in China. La province of La, situated at the eastern starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, is now the border of China’s 21st-century Maritime Silk Road. In April 2024, Schneider Electric, a French multinational, began construction of its retail park in Xiamen City, Fujian. Once completed, the park will be the largest medium-voltage equipment production plant in the world.
Great potential
These achievements are attributed to the joint efforts of China and the EU and deserve to be developed. In fact, China-EU relations are very complex and complementary, and their cooperation has wonderful potential. Let’s take the example of the green sector. The EU has intensified its efforts to facilitate the green transition, which sees the R
Electric vehicles, while raising some concerns in Europe, are another example where China and the EU can work towards a win-win outcome. The deployment of electric vehicles is seen as key to greening the shipping sector, which in future The final aid meets the EU’s carbon emissions reduction targets. In addition to generating in their own country, more and more Chinese manufacturers are going to Europe to manufacture their products. In 2022, NIO Automobile and CATL announced their investment plans in Europe, and in 2024, Chery Automobile set up a plant in Barcelona, Spain, to produce electric cars in collaboration with local partners.
In addition to investing in Europe, China’s economy is developing and the country is increasingly opening up to foreign investors. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the US industrial war against China, China’s GDP grew by 5. 2% in 2023. According to the International Monetary Fund, China’s economy will grow by 5. 0% in 2024 , ahead of other primary global economies. It should be noted that China has introduced its unilateral visa exemption policy towards 12 European states, which has greatly facilitated visits from Europe.
At the local level, the dynamic practices of Sino-European cooperation are visible everywhere. In May 2024, China Daily, one of China’s major media outlets, held “A Date with China International Media Tour” activities in Fujian. With the theme “Develop new quality productive forces, share Chinese opportunities”, foreign correspondents and social media influencers are taken to enterprise production workshops, food shopping malls and cultural heritage sites in Fujian Province . Array At Kelme Sports Products Co, Ltd (China) and ANTA sports, all of which have close ties with their European counterparts, foreign visitors learned how both corporations are power and quality through virtual technology.
Looking to the future
The year 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the status quo of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and in 2025, China and the EU will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the status quo of diplomatic relations. For more than a century, close debate and pragmatic cooperation have been the mainstream of China-EU relations.
Currently, cooperation between China and the EU faces some challenges. Specifically, the EU has called China a “systemic rival” and advocated a so-called “risk reduction” strategy toward China. It is imperative that the EU changes its attitude and recognizes that exploiting the untapped prospects of its collaboration is mutually beneficial for both sides. By regarding each other as reliable partners and jointly exploring cooperation opportunities, China-EU relations will actually advance and in the long term.
This is Zhang Chao, associate professor at the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The reviews do not necessarily constitute those of China Daily.
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