Closer partnership for global stability

The recent visit to China by Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, marks a milestone in the ongoing high-level diplomatic exchanges between China and the European Union and its member states.

The visit comes on the heels of a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, including meetings with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and telephone discussions with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. These interactions underscore the deepening ties between China and the EU.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU's predecessor, the European Community, on May 6, 1975. Over the past five decades, China and the EU have cultivated a robust trade and investment relationship, with bilateral trade soaring from $2.4 billion annually to $786 billion in 2024. European companies such as Volkswagen, Siemens, Philips, Heineken, Maersk, and Carlsberg have become household names in China, reflecting the depth of economic cooperation between the two sides.