Geopolitical changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and sluggish global economic recovery in 2021 have led to new developments in China-Europe relations. There are concerns about how we ought to look at the current China-Europe ties, what opportunities and challenges we face, and where this relationship is moving forward. In this context, China Forum (CF) and the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University jointly organized the “Workshop on China-Europe Relations” and the “21st Security and Strategy Seminar” on December 3. WANG Xiaoyao, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, was invited to share with the participants the developments of China-Europe relations in 2021 and China’s efforts in this regard. The panelists engaged in a robust and in-depth discussion on ways to stabilize the political, economic and trade relations between the two sides, to promote dialogue at all levels and people-to-people exchange, to build trust and clear doubts, and to respond to new challenges.

Among the panelists were: ZHANG Baijia, CF Expert and former Deputy Director, Party History Research Center, CPC Central Committee; HUANG Ping, CF Expert and Director, Center for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; ZHOU Bo, CF Expert and CISS Fellow; TIAN Shichen, CF Expert and Founder, Global Governance Institution; ZHOU Mi, CF Expert and Deputy Director, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce of China; SHI Zhiqin, Professor of International Relations and Deputy Director, Think Tank Research Center, Tsinghua University; SONG Bo, Research Assistant of CISS; Eric LI, Vice Chairman, CF; ZHANG Lirong, Secretary General, CF; and HAN Hua, Member, Executive Committee, CF.