Enhancing Sino-EU mutual trust stressed

Officials and experts underscored the close interdependence between China and the European Union, calling for maintaining dialogue to address trade frictions and promote mutual trust, as European leaders, including the presidents of Italy and Finland, made a flurry of visits to Beijing.

Feng Zhongping, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said that despite the difficulties in China-EU relations, the visits demonstrate the efforts the two sides are making to promote political mutual trust.

European countries have realized the importance of pragmatic cooperation with China, as they are closely interconnected in terms of the economy, and such cooperation serves the interests of both sides, he said.

Noting that Europe is undergoing reform and transformation, Feng underlined the need for China-EU cooperation to deal with a new era of uncertainty. "As long as China and Europe reject bloc confrontation and say 'no' to de-coupling, a new Cold War can be avoided," he added.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU bilateral relations. However, the ties have been overshadowed by the EU's recent rhetoric and measures focused on "de-risking".

Chen Yang, executive director of the Institute of European Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the EU lacks a clearly defined concept of "risk", leaving room for subjective judgments and political manipulation, which can easily lead to friction in various areas.

But China believes that the two sides should "reduce risks and resolve problems through cooperation, rather than reducing cooperation as a means of de-risking", Chen said, adding that China and the EU could work toward common ground in this regard to promote mutual understanding.

At the end of October, the EU decided to increase tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles to as much as 45.3 percent. Technical teams from China and the EU conducted five rounds of consultations on the matter earlier this month.

Former Austrian chancellor Christian Kern said that such tariffs are detrimental to both sides, and China and the EU need to find a way to carry out more cooperation in key fields.

Maintaining an open border and trade conforms to the interests of Europe, as 45 percent of its GDP relies on foreign trade, Kern said, calling for the two sides to carry out more cooperation rather than engaging in zero-sum games.

Chen Yongfang, an official with the European Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said that despite the EU tariffs, intensive bilateral negotiations are continuing on the basis of mutual benefits.

With an annual bilateral trade volume of nearly $800 billion, it is impossible to avoid frictions and differences, she said, adding that China has "never been afraid of the problems and has always been committed to solving them through dialogue".

The EU remains China's second-largest trading partner, third-largest source of foreign investment, and fourth-largest investment destination. From January to September, the bilateral trade volume reached $588.1 billion, Chen said.

Ding Chun, director of Fudan University's Center for European Studies, said that despite the intensified competition in China-Europe economic and trade relations, both sides acknowledge that their closely intertwined industries make "de-coupling" impractical.

Meanwhile, there is broad potential for China-EU cooperation in areas including digitalization and green development, he added.

Chen, from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that even on the issue of electric vehicles, China and the EU can still seek cooperation.

"Europe has its own established brands, while China has advanced technology — things that complement each other in building a vast market together," Chen added.