China and the EU are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations this year, and senior officials from both sides stress that they want to deepen cooperation, not competition. In an exclusive interview with CGTN, Ambassador Cai Run said trade between China and the EU has grown from US$2.4 billion in 1975 to nearly US$785 billion in 2024. "We are partners, not rivals," he said.
Cai stressed the need not to overburden trade with politics and instead look for new opportunities - for example in green technologies, artificial intelligence a Multilateralism.
European voices are also calling for cooperation. Portuguese Minister António Leitão Amaro has called Portugal Bridge between China and the EU and highlighted the country's achievements in renewable energy, which are attracting Chinese investment. "We need to reduce risks but also calm tensions," he said.
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár sees Bratislava as China's gateway to Europe. Slovakia has attracted a huge investment from Gotion High Tech (USD 1.3 billion) and rejects tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. "We do not want a trade war," Blanár warned.
Italy's Deputy Minister Valentino Valentini calls for "fair and balanced trade" and stresses that problems need to be addressed directly: "It's time to sit down and talk."
In Slovenia, Matevž Frangež recalled that 85 % of the country's GDP is made up of exports. He stressed that cooperation and innovation are the key to overcoming global challenges - which is why Slovenia rejected tariffs on Chinese EVs.
The common denominator of all these voices is the call for dialogue, investment and mutual respectbecause this is the only way to ensure prosperity and stability not only for China and the EU, but for the whole world.
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