Recently, the 25th China EU Leaders' Meeting was held in Beijing. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. China Europe relations are once again standing at a critical historical juncture. As both pivotal economies in the world, China and the European Union have extensive and in-depth cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, technology, and culture. Their development trends and cooperation directions have a profound impact on the global economic landscape. The development of China Europe relations has attracted the attention of the world.
Play an important role in global climate governance
The China EU summit has attracted much attention. Türkiye's Anadolu News Agency published an article before the meeting, saying that at a time when China EU relations are facing multiple challenges, the meeting may become an important opportunity to improve bilateral relations. During the meeting, European Commission President von der Leyen sent several posts on the social media platform, saying that the meeting was an opportunity to promote and rebalance EU China relations. She believed that mutually beneficial cooperation could be achieved and set the tone for bilateral relations in the next 50 years.
After this meeting, the joint statement issued by the leaders of China and Europe on addressing climate change surprised the outside world. The statement reiterates that in the current turbulent international situation, it is crucial for countries around the world, especially major economies, to maintain policy continuity and stability and increase efforts to address climate change; It is believed that the China EU Green Partnership is an important component of the China EU partnership, and green is the distinctive background of China EU cooperation. Both sides have a solid foundation and broad space for cooperation in the field of green transformation.
This is a moment that the EU and China cannot miss, "said former Irish President Mary Robinson, quoted by the US political news website. Robinson is an outstanding figure in the field of climate diplomacy, stating that "China Europe climate cooperation helps stabilize the market and accelerate the transition to clean energy." The report commented that this joint statement between China and Europe will provide much-needed impetus to the tense clean energy market and provide political confidence for other countries to further reduce carbon emissions.
This joint statement sends an important signal that climate cooperation can still transcend geopolitical tensions. "Agence France Presse quoted David Vosko, head of the World Resources Institute, as saying that stronger climate leadership between China and Europe is crucial to reigniting global emissions reduction momentum. Bloomberg stated that this milestone joint statement will help push countries to achieve concrete results during COP30. The commentary stated that although there are differences between China and Europe on issues such as trade and international relations, the climate declaration is still an important manifestation of unity.
The French International Broadcasting Network reported that the European Union and China have reached an agreement to increase efforts to address climate change. The joint statement jointly issued by both sides stated that European and Chinese leaders have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy transition and are committed to accelerating the deployment of renewable energy globally. Fabian Zulig, a senior researcher at the European Policy Center, a well-known research institution in the European Union, believes that there is a possibility for more cooperation between Europe and China. China has strong strength and is a very important economic partner of the European Union. At the same time, the EU is also an important market for Chinese industrial products. There is more room for cooperation between both parties.
The Third Generation Institute for Environmental Protection, a British think tank, recently pointed out in a report that the European Union and China play an important role in global climate governance, and close communication and cooperation between the two sides will help the world better cope with climate change.
Cooperation in the field of economy and trade brings tangible benefits
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe 50 years ago, fruitful achievements have been made in exchanges and cooperation, benefiting both each other and the world.
The website of Zhihua Lecture Hall in Spain published an article by Javier Boras Berala, a scholar of European Union law and international relations at the National Distance Education University of Spain, pointing out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and China 50 years ago, this diplomatic relationship has had a positive impact on both sides, which is an undeniable fact. In 1975, the two sides began a trade oriented relationship. Entering the 21st century, China Europe relations continue to develop, with a focus on deepening global cooperation. After China's accession to the World Trade Organization, the relationship between the two sides has expanded to areas such as climate change policies, energy issues, and investment in new technologies. Since then, both China and the European Union have recognized the importance of maintaining the global multilateral system, which includes using international organizations as forums for meetings and discussions, as well as complying with international agreements such as the Paris Agreement.
The cooperation between China and Europe in the field of economy and trade has brought tangible benefits to both sides. When China and Europe established diplomatic relations, the bilateral trade volume was only 2.4 billion US dollars, and the two-way investment was basically zero. Nowadays, the trade volume of goods between China and Europe has exceeded 780 billion US dollars, and the stock of two-way investment has grown to about 260 billion US dollars. The China Europe freight train has operated over 110000 trains, reaching 229 cities in 26 European countries. Not only in the field of economy and trade, China and the EU have close ties in areas such as environmental protection and culture, and are important partners for each other.
According to an article on the website of the Greek magazine Modern Diplomacy, China has become the world's second-largest economy and one of the largest trading partners of the European Union. From automotive components and electronic products to pharmaceuticals and renewable energy technologies, the EU and China have formed an inseparable relationship in various industrial supply chains, especially in the fields of high-tech manufacturing and green technology cooperation, highlighting the strategic necessity for the EU to further develop this relationship. The article also points out that China's "the Belt and Road" initiative has brought important infrastructure and investment opportunities to EU member states, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe. By participating more deeply in China's global economic initiatives, the EU can strengthen its strategic autonomy.
Multiple foreign media reports emphasize that China and the European Union are the world's second and third largest economies, with their total economic output exceeding one-third of the world's total and their trade volume exceeding one-quarter of global trade. The economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe not only promotes the development of both sides, but also makes positive contributions to promoting stable global economic growth.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe 50 years ago, both sides have always contributed to global stability in a responsible manner in the complex international situation, "said Rui Lorido, Chairman of the Portuguese" China Watch "think tank. For China Europe cooperation, all parties also have high expectations. Sonia Bresle, a French expert on China, said that China and the European Union shoulder a "historic responsibility" and should work together to maintain an international order based on cooperation, mutual respect, and consultation. European Parliament member Irat ç e Garcia said that the EU and China should further strengthen dialogue in areas such as supporting multilateralism, achieving sustainable development goals, and engaging in mutually beneficial trade. Former Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos believes that China and Europe have a responsibility to jointly lead the future of global civilization dialogue in the context of increasing global uncertainty and the resurgence of the "civilizational divide" discourse.
Strive to open up a brighter next 50 years
The China Europe summit has reached some important consensus. For example, both sides attach great importance to China Europe relations, agree to adhere to and continuously deepen the partnership, maintain strategic communication, enhance understanding and mutual trust, and strive to open up a brighter and better next 50 years for China Europe relations.
According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, investment from the European Union in China increased by 11.7% from January to March this year, demonstrating the high enthusiasm of European companies investing in China. On July 28th, The Times website reported that well-known pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has reached a cooperation agreement with a Chinese company involving a down payment of $500 million to jointly develop up to 12 innovative drugs. According to a report on the website of Forbes magazine in the United States, Chinese car manufacturers hit a new high in sales in Europe in June. According to the website of the Spanish energy newspaper, Chinese company Sunac Power's battery storage park in Sanghengho, Spain will be put into operation this summer. The French website FreshPlaza noted that despite the long journey, many fresh Chinese agricultural products quickly entered the European market.
The personnel exchanges between China and Europe are also maintaining a pleasant momentum. According to a report by the European news agency citing the American company Visa, the average spending of Chinese tourists traveling to Spain in 2025 will reach 3150 euros. The website of the German weekly Focus recently published an article analyzing why China has suddenly become the preferred destination for German tourists. The author described his journey from Chongqing, through Xi'an and Zhangjiajie, to Wuhan, and told about his pleasant exit and entry experience and the smile of Chinese people everywhere.
Most objective and rational international perspectives are optimistic about the development direction of China Europe relations.
The article on the website of Zhihua Lecture Hall in Spain points out that the efforts made over the past 50 years to establish cultural bonds and mutual understanding between civilizations have become the foundation for mutual understanding between China and Europe in building a multipolar world. The article emphasizes that what both parties need is a willingness to move forward together. Both parties need to jointly pave the way forward in a healthy competition based on cognition, understanding, and not giving up strategic cooperation.
As emphasized on the website of the French newspaper "Express", the relationship between Europe and China is crucial. Both Europe and China are also full of expectations for the future, looking forward to jointly writing a more exciting chapter in the next 50 years of EU China relations. Reuters analysis suggests that against the backdrop of increasing global trade uncertainty, both Europe and China are seeking ways to resolve their trade disputes. Scholars from the Free University of Brussels told Deutsche Welle that it is crucial for the EU to maintain smooth channels of dialogue and communication. China and Europe are important partners in cooperation and should maintain stable and regular exchanges. The Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore, citing scholars from Nanyang Technological University, pointed out that after the China EU leaders' meeting, the two sides will continue to carry out consultations around specific economic and trade issues, promote many cooperation projects, and find a common ground between the two sides.
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