The European Union and China are celebrating five decades of diplomatic relations this year that have embodied a mutual interest in expanding bilateral relations particularly in the economic, trade, investment, scientific, and educational fields. During those 50 years many things have changed in world politics as well as within Europe and China.
On 6 May 1975, the first chapter of diplomatic relations between the then European Community and China opened. Christopher Soames, at the time vice-president of the European Commission, paid a visit to Beijing that paved the way to the signing of the first trade agreement between the two sides in 1978, which was later replaced by a more comprehensive trade and cooperation deal in 1985.
In July 1986, the then president of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, also travelled to Beijing where he met Deng Xiaoping, the successor of Mao Zedong, who had seen in Europe an important economic partner and a source of economic development. He also believed that Europe could be an important counterweight to the US.
The United States during the administration of then president Ronald Reagan was involved in an indirect war against Soviet troops in Afghanistan at the time and was also exerting great pressure on the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. China was in a process of modernisation and development that was spurred on by growing cooperation with the European countries.
Bilateral trade between the two sides has now grown to the extent that they trade more in one day than they did in the whole of 1975. China is the second-largest trading partner of the European Union, which is China’s first trading partner. The two have been negotiating an investment agreement, but the Chinese government believes that the European Commission is acting with an eye on the possible US reaction and in the context of the containment strategy adopted by the former Biden administration vis-à-vis China.
In the framework of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the European Commission in Brussels hosted the 13th High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the European Union and China on 2 July. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission Kaja Kallas headed the European delegation, whereas Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, presided over the delegation of his country.
Kallas reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to engage constructively with China in order to address global challenges. As far as trade issues are concerned, she said that it was important to find concrete solutions to rebalance economic relationships and improve reciprocity in market access. She also called on China to do away with restrictions on rare earths exports, which pose significant risks to European companies and endanger the reliability of global supply chains.
As far as political issues were concerned, it was to be expected that the European delegation would take the Chinese side to task for its support for Russia in the war in Ukraine. Kallas said that the support for Russia by Chinese companies posed a threat to European security, and she urged China to cease all support that sustains the Russian military-industrial complex.
Unsurprisingly, Taiwan also figured in the discussions. The European delegation reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to the One China Policy and its opposition to any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force or coercion.
Kallas welcomed the de-escalation between Israel and Iran. The European side also believed that there was a need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
When it was the turn of Wang Yi to speak, he wanted to convey certain political messages while being fully aware that the European positions are closely aligned with those of the United States. He said that China hopes that the European Union will develop a genuinely objective and rational understanding of China and accordingly follow a more positive and pragmatic policy towards it.
He expressed the hope that Europe would respect the core interests of China and abide by the One China Policy. He concluded by saying that there was no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the EU and that instead there were “extensive common interests” in supporting multilateralism and cooperation and upholding the central role of the United Nations.
A European-Chinese Summit is expected to take place later this month, which will be the occasion for Europe and China to reset their bilateral relations at a time of great competition between the US and China. This has a major impact on the overall strategic context of European-Chinese relations. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the 50th anniversary of EU-Chinese relations as an opportunity to “open up a brighter future” for diplomacy.
I am not quite sure that President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen shares his point of view, however. Before the G7 Summit meeting last month at Kananaskis in Canada, and in a session dedicated to the state of the global economy on 17 June, she slammed China, accusing Beijing of disrupting global trade and “weaponising its leading position in producing and refining critical raw materials.”
China was ignoring global trade rules to “undercut competition,” she said.
I expect President Jinping has a different and more positive vision for the future of Chinese-European relations. Europe should have a more independent position vis-à-vis its relations with China from that of the United States.
The latter could reach understandings with China in various fields that would not be aligned with European interests at a moment’s notice. The hawkish positions of Von der Leyen would then seriously backfire.
The writer is former assistant foreign minister.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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