Contrary to the received wisdom of the press, Beijing is not the devil incarnate, and the EU did not sell its soul when it signed the agreement. The investment agreement is far from the zero-sum affair it was described to be. In fact, it offers a number of benefits that extend beyond China and Europe.
Strengthening cooperation between China and the EU will not only help economic complementarity, allow for respective comparative advantages, and improve people’s living standards, but also inject confidence and vitality into the world economy and promote the recovery and growth of the world economy under the impact of COVID-19.
It is very encouraging to see the creation for reaching carbon neutrality by the mid-21st century, and the commitment by Chairman Xi Jinping in this respect is extremely important.
China and the EU do not agree on everything. However, they have shown the capacity for making steps in unison via continuing their dialogue.
Only time will tell how much the EU and China can cooperate but global shocks like the pandemic and the huge challenge of climate change make it blatantly clear that cooperation is warranted and urgent.
In the coming years one should continue to expect an underlying stability to continue to drive EU-China relations. This is a relationship that will continue to be driven by cautious, rational and cool diplomacy, rather than turn into aggravated hostility.
China and the EU will continuously work to achieve common goals in 2021. The Biden administration will rather enhance the multilateral context where Sino-European relations will be played out, although it will also facilitate the endeavor of Brussels and Washington to talk in good climate about Beijing.
If the coronavirus does not come back, I am not so pessimistic about the future.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. The development of our relations over the past 45 years tells us that there is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the EU.
If a dual leadership is to take form, it is crucial for the EU and China to find their own way of maintaining cooperation and dialogue, based on mutual recognition of universal values.
In an uncertain world, Europe’s commitment to multilateralism is good for stability and acknowledges China’s growing role. Obviously, not all European countries, whether member-states of the EU or not, agree, and sometimes they chart their own foreign policies.
The pandemic, despite some misunderstandings between China and the EU due to natural tensions in response to the virus that caught everyone by surprise, also showed solidarity that became evident when needed.
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